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Fish Your Strengths By Justin Largin

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Fish Your Strengths By Justin Largin

Fish Your Strengths – By Justin Largin

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One of the most common sayings in bass fishing is “fish your strengths.” There’s no telling how many times I’ve read this in Bassmaster magazine or heard pros say it during interviews and seminars. I’ve heard it so many times that I think my brain has gotten numb to the idea. Well, I was reminded again this past weekend.

Before I jump into the story, what does “fish your strengths” mean? To me it’s pretty straightforward, use baits and techniques that you are good at or you enjoy. Figure out what your style is. Are you a power fisherman or do you prefer finesse techniques? Are you a river rat like me, or do you like to fish deep highland reservoirs? Do you beat the banks or fish offshore with electronics? What lures to you like to throw? Do you like to move around and cover lots of water with moving baits? Or are you slower and more methodical, milking a spot for every bite you can squeeze out of it. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. It’s all about personal preference. This is one of the great things about fishing. There’s more than one way to catch a bass.
On to the story. This past weekend, Drew Gregory won the Bassmaster Kayak Series Tournament on Lewis Smith Lake. It was a back-to-back win, the first ever for the Kayak Series, and Drew did it fishing his strengths. He can catch them a variety of ways, but he’s known for seeking out shallow, moving water. I thought the tournament would be won fishing for deep spotted bass on the main lake. Drew bested the field fishing his way.

This wasn’t the only reminder. Second place finisher Chris Hartman was fishing the same area I was but using a different technique. He fished a wacky-rigged stickworm around shallow cover. Now, I’ve used a wacky rig to catch a pile of fish and cash checks at several tournaments this year. I have a ton of confidence with that technique, especially when fish are finicky. When I tried my Missile 48 during practice, I got zero bites. I even threw it some during competition. Still nothing. I wasn’t doing something right. Maybe I needed a different rate of fall. Maybe it was a timing deal. For whatever reason, I couldn’t make the finesse presentation work and ended up catching fish on power techniques. It was eye-opening to learn that someone else figured out what I couldn’t and caught over 20 fish with the wacky rig.

Over the last year or so, as I’ve competed in tournaments across the country, I’ve seen a similar story play out many times. You talk to someone at the ramp and find out they caught fish with techniques that didn’t work for you. Or you go to an awards ceremony and learn that the winners did very different things. There might be five different strategies uses by the top ten anglers. One angler caught his fish with a shakey head on deep docks. Another angler caught her fish with a chatterbait in shallow backwaters. You often learn that the top anglers fished completely different sections of the lake. Sometimes the only commonality is that they all caught a bunch of bass!

Every time I experience a tournament like this, it reminds me that there are no magic bullets in fishing. There is no secret lure some anglers have that brings them tournament success. You’ve probably got the same stuff in your box. Sure, there might be a special spot that the winner finds, but it’s not the only one on the lake. Are there lures or techniques that will work better in a particular type of water, under certain conditions? Of course. But there is always more than one. Bass can be caught all over the lake and with a variety of techniques. Oftentimes your way – whatever that is – is the best way.



Richmond Set to Host MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Toyota Stop 5 on the James River Presented by PowerStop Brakes

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Richmond Set to Host MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Toyota Stop 5 on the James River Presented by PowerStop Brakes

Fifth Stop of 2022 Season to Showcase Professional Bass Anglers Competing Over Four Days for Top Prize of $135,000

RICHMOND, Va. (June 7, 2022) – The fifth event of the 2022 Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me, the sport’s premier five-fish format tournament circuit, kicks off in Richmond next week, June 16-19 with the Toyota Stop 5 on the James River Presented by PowerStop Brakes. Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism in cooperation with the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, the four-day tournament will feature a field of top bass-fishing anglers from around the country competing for a total purse of more than $850,000, and valuable points to qualify for the 2022 Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship.

“We’re excited to welcome Major League Fishing organizers, anglers and fans to the Richmond Region,” said Jerrine Lee, Vice President of Sales at Richmond Region Tourism. “The James River is known for its world-class fishing and exciting outdoor activities. We know anglers will experience some incredible bass fishing during the tournament and we can’t wait to cheer them all.”

“This competition shows off a different side of Henrico’s sports amenities,” said Dennis Bickmeier, Executive Director of the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority. “From the event’s economic impact, to the Major League Fishing Festival and children’s activities, to the heavily broadcasted weigh-ins, this prestigious tournament is a boon for our entire community. We look forward to partnering with them for many years to come.”

While the James River has seen plenty of bass tournaments on it over the years, the majority of MLF experience is limited to some Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournaments, a handful of Toyota Series events and a Forrest Wood Cup event back in 2003. Powhatan, Virginia’s Cody Pike, who will be among the pros competing in this event, knows the James River better than most in the field and though he acknowledges the tournament may hit the postspawn funk, he also knows just how good it can be.

“June is a weird month where fish are getting away from their spawning thing, but we’ll probably still have some fish spawning because they spawn later in a tidal fishery than in a lake,” Pike says. “There will be a bunch of fry guarders and the frog bite should be starting down in the Chickahominy in the pads. And there should be some postspawn fish getting out on brush, so they’ll be scattered all over from drops to brush to spawning and guarding fry.”

The Potomac River to the north has long been the Pro Circuit’s staple tidal fishery. Anglers fishing in big crowds and rarely running the tide has been what fans have become accustomed to, but Pike points out that the James is a whole different animal.

“You can catch them on high water flipping a marsh bank and three hours later you’ll be looking at the bottom where you just caught one, so timing is way more crucial on the James,” Pike said. “There’s also a whole lot more water to fish than the Potomac because the Potomac is a decent-sized body of water, but it fishes real small. On the James, you’ve got 60 or 70 miles to run that’s all good water, especially if you’re chasing the tide.

“You’ll have guys go to the Chickahominy and commit to it and not chase a tide, but if you run the tide you can catch 60 fish and likely stumble across five big ones.”

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight will advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros, based on cumulative weight from the first three days, will continue competition on Championship Sunday, where weights will be zeroed and anglers will compete in a one-day shootout for the grand prize of up to $135,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers.

After four events in the 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit regular season, Arkansas pro Spencer Shuffield leads the Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 732 points. Hayden, Alabama’s Josh Butler sits right behind Shuffield in second place with 720 points, while Kentucky’s John Hunter sits in third with 695 points. The reigning Pro Circuit Bally Bet AOY, Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee sits in fourth place with 685 points, while Favorite Fishing pro Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, rounds out the top five with 677 points.

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET, Thursday, June 16, through Sunday, June 19, from the Osborne Landing, located at 9530 Osborne Turnpike in Richmond. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing daily at 2:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to attend the morning take offs and afternoon weigh-ins, and also follow the live on-the-water action all four days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 8 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

As part of the event, on Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19, from Noon to 4 p.m., fans are invited out to the Major League Fishing Festival at the Osborne Landing. Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism, the event will feature fans meeting and getting autographs from their favorite pro anglers that compete on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit. 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 high school or middle school anglers, are available to festival goers. On Saturday and Sunday, one lucky attendee will play for a brand new 2022 Toyota Tundra in the Bully Dog Pick ‘Til You Win game, with runner up prizes of a new 70-inch 4K UHD Smart TV or a Bully Dog Performance Tuner. For more information on the Major League Fishing Festival, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/Attend.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Toyota Stop 5 on the James River Presented by PowerStop Brakes will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the CBS Sports Network in early September.

The 2022 season culminates with the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where the top 48 pros in the points standings, along with the 2021 TITLE Champion and 2021 Angler of the Year, will compete for a top prize of $235,000. The 2022 TITLE will be on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, Aug. 16-21, and is hosted by the Town of Massena.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, 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, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and  YouTube.

David Walker Wins Group B Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft

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Tennessee Pro Holds off Several Hard-Charging Competitors to Advance Straight to Thursday’s Championship Round, Field of 38 Anglers Set for Wednesday’s Knockout Round

SPRING CITY, Tenn. (June 7, 2022) – Despite a 2-hour, 15-minute lightning delay, rainy conditions throughout the day and a field of stellar pros nipping at his heels, Bass Pro Shops pro David Walker of Sevierville, Tennessee, caught 11 bass weighing 23 pounds, 10-ounces Tuesday to cruise to a Group B Qualifying Round win at the General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft in Spring City, Tennessee. Walker’s two-day total of 21 bass weighing 45 pounds, 11 ounces, advances him directly to Thursday’s Championship Round – marking his first automatic berth to the Championship Round on the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour – as the competition continues for the top award of $100,000.

Link to Photo of Qualifying Group B Winner David Walker
Link to Video Highlights of Group B Qualifying Round Day 2

Pro Clabion Johns of Social Circle, Georgia caught a 2-pound, 7-ounce buzzer-beater in the final minute to finish the day in second place with a two-day total of 21 bass, weighing 39 pounds, 6 ounces, while pro Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina finished in third, with a two-day total of 19 bass weighing 38-6. General Tire pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee caught a two-day total of 21 bass weighing 37 pounds even to end in fourth, while Strike King pro Scott Suggs of Alexander, Arkansas advanced to the Knockout Round in fifth place with a two-day total of 18 bass weighing 34-9.

“I don’t know what to say,” said a speechless Walker. “You talk about a day where you just end up making the right choices, all day long – it’s just unbelievable. I caught those fish on so many different rods and baits today, but I couldn’t be happier.”

Walker began the second day of his Qualifying Round in fifth place, with a solid 22-pound, 1-ounce footing, but steadily moved up the SCORETRACKER® throughout the day . The Tennessee pro rallied to take the lead only seven minutes into the third period with a 2-pound, 3-ounce largemouth and despite hard charges by Thrift and DeFoe, who both caught scorable bass in the final period to take over the lead, Walker managed to hold onto the top spot by the end of the competition day.

“This has been a tough season, and to have a day like this – let alone two back-to-back good days – is just amazing,” Walker said. “I’ve usually got some pretty good comebacks or statements and I just don’t have anything at all today.”

Although the win looks good ‘on paper’ with the automatic advancement to the Championship Round, it was certainly a fight to the finish, with Walker catching 10 pounds in the last period alone to end the day on top.

“It’s just one of those things – in tournament fishing the highs are so high and the lows are really low, so it can be tough to try to keep everything on an even keel and not let it get to you,” Walker said. “You go out there and do the same things repeatedly, but you don’t get results like this very often, so you start to question yourself.

“One good day makes up for a whole lot of bad ones though, and we managed to put together two back-to-back good days,” Walker continued. “I am so excited about this finish.”

The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from each group – now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to the Championship Round on Thursday. The Championship Round will feature Group A winner Kevin VanDam, Group B winner David Walker and the top eight finishers from the Knockout Round, competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

The six-day event, hosted by Fish Dayton, the Rhea County Economic Tourism Council and Spring City, Tennessee, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000.

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group B that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Watts Bar Lake are:

1st:           David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 21 bass, 45-11 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2nd:          Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., 21 bass, 39-6
3rd:          Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 19 bass, 38-6
4th:           Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 21 bass, 37-0
5th:           Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 18 bass, 34-9
6th:           Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., 12 bass, 32-5
7th:           Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 17 bass, 31-9
8th:           Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 14 bass, 31-0
9th:           Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 16 bass, 30-14
10th:        Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 14 bass, 30-8
11th:        Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 15 bass, 29-11
12th:        Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 15 bass, 28-8
13th:        Dave Lefebre, Erie, Penn., 15 bass, 28-2
14th:        Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 13 bass, 27-7
15th:        Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 13 bass, 26-8
16th:        Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 12 bass, 24-2
17th:        Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 11 bass, 23-14
18th:        Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 22-5
19th:        Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, nine bass, 21-15
20th:        Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 11 bass, 21-10
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 225 scorable bass weighing 465 pounds, 6 ounces caught by 40 pros Tuesday.

Toro pro Brent Chapman of Quivira, Kansas caught a 5-pound, 9-ounce largemouth throwing a bladed swim jig in the first period to earn the fourth $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 competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. Now that the 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.

The 38 anglers competing in Wednesday’s Knockout Round will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET from the Spring City Boat Ramp, located at 417 Toestring Valley Road in Spring City, Tennessee. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the ramp, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome and encouraged to attend all launch and takeout events and to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce 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 the REDCREST 2023 championship.

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 General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 29 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 competition.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, 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.

Bagley Baits Renews Partnership with Classic Bass Champions Bass Tour

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Bagley Baits Renews Partnership with Classic Bass Champions Bass Tour

Bagley Baits Renews Partnership with Classic Bass Champions Bass Tour

Staples of the Midwest bass fishing scene, Bagley Bait Company and Classic Bass team up to provide the tools and venues needed for anglers to showcase their talents.

BEMIDJI, Minn. (June 7, 2022) – With waters warming quickly now, late spring is the time for midwestern bass fans to shake off the last remaining effects of winter, renew fishing friendships and refresh their competitive spirit on wide-open waters. With those thoughts in mind Bagley Bait Company is proud to announce it will once again partner with the Classic Bass Champions Tour for the 2022 season.

The premier maker of traditional, premium, super-light balsa and hand-selected hardwood baits, Bagley Baits are designed with the utmost craftsmanship, quality and artistry of classic handcrafted lures paired with unmatched ferocity in design, finish and action. Sixty years of legendary bait-making skill is boiled down, energized and hand tuned into the most lethal collection of fish assassins ever assembled.

The Classic Bass Champions Tour is the Midwest’s most exciting and prestigious bass tournament trail. Created by Classic Bass owner, and longtime bass tournament angler, Scott Bonnema, the circuit’s goal is to bring the finest anglers from various regions of the Midwest together to compete. “Bagley Baits is committed to serving the bass community here in the Upper Midwest and honored to be associated with Classic Bass again this season,” says Mike Anselmo, Marketing Director for Bagley Bait Company.”

Noah Schultz, a Bagley Baits pro-team member, calls the partnership “a great fit,” noting that both companies have roots in Minnesota, and long histories of involvement with Midwest bass fishing. “Both Bagley Baits and The Champions Tour are well run, responsive to angler’s needs and offer premium product, ” says Schultz. He should know. The 38-year-old from Waseca, Minnesota, graduated to the Classic Bass Champions Tour four years ago after making himself known in local tournaments and he’s made a huge splash by winning the Classic Bass Champions Tour two of the last three years.

“I guess you could say I’ve done pretty well on this tour,” he says proudly. “I was Angler of the Year in 2022 while winning the Classic Bass Championship for the second time in three years. Last year’s title came with a $55,000 Skeeter X200 bass boat! I took on Bagley as my first-ever sponsor last year and their lures helped me immensely. I had a third-place finish at Pelican Lake in Orr, Minnesota, and caught 95% of my fish on a Flat Balsa B2 Crankbait.”

At the championship on Lake Mille Lacs, a week later, Schultz used a Bagley Balsa B1 Squarebill Crankbait to lock in his victory by banging it off isolated boulders in five- to eight-foot depths. “It was fun to participate in such a great tour,” he states, “and catching smallmouth on that squarebill crankbait made the big win extra sweet. So, yes, I’d say Bagley Baits and Classic Bass are a great combination.”

Tony Hatten, 48, from Richmond, Minnesota agrees. A four-year veteran of the Champions Tour, he’ll be representing Bagley Baits this year as he did last. “I enjoy every minute of this tour, the intensity, the instant score tracker, and the change of pace versus regular team or individual tournaments,” reveals Hatten. “Between Bagley Baits and the Champions Tour, bass anglers in our region have the tools to catch more fish and earn recognition for their skills. It’s a great match.”

Hatten placed in the top ten at the Pelican Lake Champions Tour event last year while throwing Bagley Pro Sunny B and Diving Balsa B crankbaits in a Hot Claw Crawdad color. “Nearly every fish I caught in that tourney fell to a Bagley Bait, which makes me feel really excited for the season ahead. I’m an ex-hockey player and competition is something I crave. Still, you need an edge to compete at this level and my Bagley Baits provide just that. I can’t wait to get started.”

New to the Bagley Baits pro team, Dane Vocelka, of Richmond, Minnesota, is ready to dive into the 2022 tournament season. “It’s great that Bagley Baits is partnering with the Champions Tour,” he says. “Both have great reputations, and it’s exciting to be with a company that’s willing to give me a chance to fish their baits and represent them well. Bagley Baits give me a lot of confidence heading into this outstanding series because I know that from color selection to diving depth and durability, I’ll be able to do my job.”

Vocelka notes that Bagley’s balsa crankbaits are perfect for the shallow water action he expects at stops along the Mississippi River and on shallow, rocky waters like Lake Vermillion. “I fish a lot of shallow flats where largemouths and bronzebacks suspend above the weeds. In those situations, baitfish often hold off the corners where bottom baits and topwater offerings aren’t really the ticket. But I can turn those bass on most days with Bagley’s Pro Sunny B in Crawfish/Gill and Balsa B squarebill baits, then clean up some more fish with their Knocker B Topwater. I know several of my rods will have Bagley Baits on the front deck every time I head out.”

Another new addition to the Bagley Baits pro team planning to fish the Champions Tour is Aaron Teal, 28, from Watkins, Minnesota, who is thankful to have such a well-run competition matched to a top-tier lure manufacturer. “Everyone fishing this trail is blessed to have support from companies like Bagley Baits. Bagley is unique in that nobody else really makes high-quality balsawood hardbaits these days. It’s been really cool to see them put forth this old-school balsa revival with a new twist due to their innovative technology.”

With all the fishing pressure these days, Teal believes that bass throughout the Midwest, and particularly in his home state of Minnesota, are getting conditioned to seeing the same thing over and over. “But these Bagley balsa hardbaits can break through and refresh the bite by offering a distinctive look and feel,” he explains. “This is a power-fishing format, and I think Bagley crankbaits on the front deck are going to be a huge factor this year because there are several bodies of water where they’ll really shine.

“Vermillion Lake, for example, is full of rocks and there’s nothing better than banging a crankbait off hard structure to draw a quick response from bass,” continues Teal. He especially likes the Balsa B if it’s warm out because it deflects off rocks and comes through cover like nothing he’s thrown before. “With its amazing balsa buoyancy you can snag that lure between a couple of rocks, give it some slack, and watch it float back up to the surface. With an approaching cold front, the Balsa B 2 or Pro Sunny B in Burnt Crawdad can really shine, too. They really highlight that “Balsa is Better!”

With the first Champions Tour event scheduled to kick off Thursday, June 9, on Mississippi River Pools 4 & 5, it won’t be long until the Bagley pro team starts crossing some eyes. You can catch their performances July 7 on Lake Vermillion, August 25 on Gull Lake, or at the Champions Tour Championship Presented by Skeeter Boats and Yamaha, September 1, at a location to be determined.

“It was a blast working with the Classic Bass crew and watching the successes of Tony and Noah last season. Bagley Baits played a role at each of the events, which I think opened some eyes throughout the tour and its anglers,’ adds Bagley’s Marketing Coordinator, Charlie Peterson.

“We’re looking forward to kicking off the 2022 season this week on the Mississippi River with an expanded team of pros that now includes Aaron Teal and Dane Vocelka, both great fishermen who will represent us well.”

For details on the 2022 Bass Classic Champions, visit www.classicbass.com. To check out the full line of Bagley’s premium balsa hardbaits, exciting new colors and hardbait kits, visit https://www.bagleybait.com.

Radford University Wins MLF Wiley X College Faceoff at Smith Mountain Lake

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Radford University Wins MLF Wiley X College Faceoff at Smith Mountain Lake

HUDDLESTON, Va. (June 7, 2022) – The Radford University team of Ruth Caudle, Alex Moss, Kent Clark and Jackson Norton, won the Major League Fishing (MLF) Wiley X College Faceoff at Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, Virginia, Saturday. The Highlanders bass club boated 15 bass weighing 30 pounds, 14 ounces to win the first Wiley X College Faceoff Event of the 2022 season and earn the win by a 3-pound, 1-ounce margin over Tennessee’s King University.

The Radford University team said that they knew the catch-weigh-immediate release format was very different from the five-fish format, so they changed their gameplan from Friday in order to catch as many fish as possible. They said that they spent the morning throwing topwater baits on the rocks to catch some fish left over from the shad spawn the previous night, then they spent the rest of the day keying on stretches of docks with a drop-shot rig.

The five teams that competed in the Wiley X College Faceoff at Smith Mountain Lake finished:

1st: Radford University – Ruth Caudle, Alex Moss, Kent Clark and Jackson Norton, 15 bass, 30-14
2nd: King University – Tyler Altizer, Dylan Thomson and Jacob Lovell, 13 bass, 27-13
3rd: Western Michigan University – Mason Jones, Jack Schable, Kert Antonowitsch and Cole Zagrzebski, nine bass, 24-15
4th: Virginia Tech University – Ryan Feehan, Daniel Weber, Caden Canaday and Lynn Chitwood, 11 bass, 24-9
5th: Penn State University – Anthony Riello, Jason Zubris, Dylan Crystaloski and Jakob Sorbera, three bass, 8-7

The Wiley X College Faceoffs are single-day tournaments where competitors fish in an MLF-style catch, weigh, immediate-release team format at each event. The College Faceoff tournaments occur the Saturday following an Abu Garcia College Fishing competition, on the same body of water. The results from the College Fishing tournament the previous day determine the 20 competitors for the Wiley X College Faceoff, with the top two teams (four anglers) from the top five schools in the regular season tournament qualifying to fish in the ten-boat faceoff the following day.

The Wiley X College Faceoff tournament on Smith Mountain Lake was the first of four Faceoff events for MLF collegiate anglers in 2022. The next Faceoff event for college anglers will take place on Saturday, July 30 at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
MLF College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open will advance to the following season’s National Championship.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, 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, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

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

Pennsylvania’s Central High School Wins MLF High School Fishing Open on Smith Mountain Lake

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HUDDLESTON, Va. (June 6, 2022) – The Central High School team of Gerald Brumbaugh of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, and Dalton Metzger of Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at Smith Mountain Lake. For their victory, the duo now qualify to compete in the 2023 High School Fishing National Championship.

Rounding out the top five teams were:

2nd: Madison High School, Marshall, N.C. – Matthew Crawford, Marshall, N.C., and Gavin Gault, Mars Hill, N.C., five bass, 14-1
3rd: Wellsboro Area School District, Wellsboro, Pa. – Conner Kapp and Colegan Stiner, five bass, 13-12
4th: HS Potomac River Bass Masters – Elijah Ambrose and Jarren Crowder, Clearspring, Md., four bass, 12-0
5th: New Breed Bassers – Ty Crispin, Elmer, N.J., and Kyle Gilson, Cedarville, N.J., four bass, 11-10

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at Smith Mountain Lake was hosted by Destination Bedford. The next event for High School Fishing anglers will be the 2022 MLF High School Fishing National Championship on Pickwick and Wilson Lakes in Florence, Alabama, June 22-25.

MLF High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10% of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, will advance to the 2022 High School Fishing National Championship. The 2022 MLF High School Fishing National Championship will be held on Pickwick and Wilson Lakes in Florence, Alabama, June 22-25, and is hosted by the Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The High School Fishing National Champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, 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, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

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

Simpson University Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on the California Delta

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BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (June 6, 2022) – The Simpson University duo of Jayden Nezy of Page, Arizona, and Nathan Phillips of Kelseyville, California, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the California Delta Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 7 ounces. The victory earned the Red Hawks’ bass club a slot in the 2023 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“We just fished the marina all day,” Phillips said. “The game plan was to start there and get maybe a 15-pound limit, then run around that general area the rest of the day and try to cull.

“We got in there and our first fish was the big one – the 6-15 – and the next was 5½ pounds,” Phillips added. “We had four fish at 9 o’clock that weighed about 18 pounds.”

Phillips said he gave those fish a break and moved the team south to chase the tide. After an hour, Phillips returned to their starting spot to fish the outgoing tide and stayed there the rest of the day. Their last fish came at 12:30.

Phillips said the team relied on a vibrating jig fished in grass and wood on one side of the marina and pilings on the other side. Phillips said Nezy was finesse fishing out of the back of the boat while Phillips focused on parallel casts to targets. Phillips said they caught 15 fish throughout the day – 10 of wich were keepers.

“The biggest thing was getting the bait deep enough to the fish,” Phillips said. “I threw a half-ounce bait and fished it pretty slow just trying to get it down to them.”

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2023 College Fishing National Championship are:

1st: Simpson University – Jayden Nezy of Page, Ariz., and Nathan Phillips of Kelseyville, Calif., five bass, 24-7
2nd: Simpson University – Ty Manterola, Pasco, Wash., five bass, 16-11
3rd: University of Montevallo – Adam Carrol, Carrollton, Ga., and Trey Dickert, Taylors, S.C., five bass, 15-14
4th: Simpson University – Ryan Beaty, Martinez, Calif., and James Hawkinson, Granite Bay, Calif., five bass, 13-1
5th: University of Montevallo – Briggs Alavezos, Manteca, Calif., and Brody Robison, Dawson, Ala., five bass, 13-1
6th: Sonoma State University – Ari Forman, Westlake Village, Calif., and Cody Wyatt, Rohnert Park, Calif., five bass, 12-3
7th: Fresno State – Liam Cornell, Fresno, Calif., and Brendan Holden, Clovis, Calif., five bass, 11-12
8th: Simpson University – Myles Davis, Redding, Calif., and Austin Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 11-11
9th: Sonoma State University – Aaron King, Windsor, Calif., and Richard Maloney, Ukiah Calif., five bass, 10-3
10th: Chico State – Jack Geist, Davis, Calif., and Miles Kaneko, Berkley, Calif., five bass, 9-9

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

The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the California Delta was the final of three regular-season tournaments for Western Conference anglers. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the Mississippi River, July 29 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

MLF College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open will advance to the following season’s National Championship. The 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship Presented by Lowrance will be held on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma, March 29-31, and is hosted by the Wagoner Area Chamber of Commerce.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, 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, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

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

Winyah Bay Lands Bassmaster College National Championship

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Winyah Bay Lands Bassmaster College National Championship

The country’s top college teams will compete on Winyah Bay Sept. 2-4 at the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. 

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

June 7, 2022

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Winyah Bay Lands Bassmaster College National Championship

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The country’s best college fishing teams will converge in Georgetown, S.C., for the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, which will be held on Winyah Bay Sept. 2-4.

The Bassmaster College Series Championship will field as many as 130 teams of anglers representing universities across the nation. Qualifications are based on the teams’ finishes in four regular-season stops held on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, Lake Norman in North Carolina, Arkansas’ Norfork Lake and Saginaw Bay in Michigan. A final Wild Card tournament on Alabama’s Logan Martin Lake gives teams waitlisted for the other events one last chance to make it into the field for Winyah Bay.

“We’re excited to offer college anglers an incredible championship tournament experience,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager — College, High School and Junior. “I am thrilled that we are able to get these young anglers onto this extraordinary tidal fishery as they compete for a national title and a chance to fish the Classic.”

Winyah Bay, which is the confluence of the Waccamaw, Pee Dee, Black and Sampit rivers in Georgetown County, has hosted two major B.A.S.S. events — Elite derbies in 2016 and 2019 — along with several B.A.S.S. Nation regional championships. The most recent Bassmaster College Series tournament on Winyah Bay in 2017 featured a pair of familiar names atop the leaderboard. Current Elite Series pros Patrick Walters and Jonathan Kelley finished first and second en route to the 2017 National Championship, where they were bested by a team that included fellow Elite angler Jacob Foutz.

“We are thrilled to welcome college anglers and their families to Georgetown County for the Bassmaster College National Championship in September,” said Beth Goodale, Georgetown County Director of Recreation & Community Services. “A number of activities and events are planned throughout the weekend so that our citizens can celebrate along with tournament participants.”

Competitors will not only be fighting for a national championship but also a berth in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on the Tennessee River via the College Classic Bracket tournament.

The leading anglers in the Bassmaster College Series Team of the Year points standings will be determined after the four regular-season events. The Team of the Year will punch their ticket to the College Classic Bracket event, which will be held later this year. The College Classic Bracket takes the Top 3 teams from the National Championship plus the Team of the Year and places the individual anglers in head-to-head bracket-style competition for a berth in the Classic, where they will compete for a prize purse of over $1 million.

The 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops is being hosted by Georgetown County.

Parker Mills & Brock Rouse Win CATT Neuse River, NC Spring Final May 28, 2022

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Parker Mills & Brock Rouse Win CATT Neuse River, NC Spring Final May 28, 2022

We concluded our 1st CATT Spring Trail on the Neuse River with 23 teams entering the Neuse River Spring Final! When all was wrapped up after weigh in this past Saturday the 2022 Neuse River Spring Trail had paid back $10,300.00! We will host a Fall Trail and have the schedule posted soon. CATT also has a FALL membership and allows you to enter multiple CATT Trails in your area! Keep in mind qualification for the 2023 CATT Academy Championship on Kerr May 20-21, 2023 starts now! Shout out to David Grantham for getting CATT going on the Neuse River and running a smooth trial!

Parker Mills & Brock Rouse took 1st Place at the Neuse River Spring Final with 5 bass weighing 17.41 lbs! Kick in the 1st Place Side Pot & 2nd BF at 4.96 lbs and they took home $2,516.00! Parker & Brock also received a $25 Academy Gift Card!

Jeremy Miller & Chase Miller earned 2nd Place with 5 bass weighing 16.80 lbs! They also brought in the BF at 5.66 lbs! With the 2nd Side Pot added they took home $1,324.00! Jeremy & Chase also received a $100 Strike King/Lews!

3rd Place went to Travis Mewborn & Ricky Foss with a limit weighing 14.83 lbs! They took home $500.00!

Last money spot went to Paul King & Brad Stain with 14.20 lbs worth $200.00!

TEAM BF WEIGHT WINNINGS
PARKER MILLS BROCK ROUSE 4.96 17.41 $2,516.00
JEREMY MILLER CHASE MILLER 5.66 16.80 $1,324.00
TRAVIS MEWBORN RICKY FOSS 4.63 14.83 $500.00
PAUL KING BRAD STAIN 3.36 14.20 $200.00
ANTWAN MOORE ANTWAN MOORE JR 4.39 14.00
TOM WARNER 4.84 12.76
CHRIS COX MONTE MORGAN 3.30 12.70
RONALD JONES BRADLEY TURNER 2.51 9.06
BILLY PADERICK JESSE GRUDY 2.75 8.54
JOSH BROWN JACOB BROWN 0.00 7.32
JIMBO TYDALL COLTON TYDALL 1.70 7.31
CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL ZACHARY SIMMONS 4.16 6.54
BRYAN LINK DAVE BELL 2.20 4.37
WAYNE STALLINGS JUSTIN EVERETT 0.00 0.00
ROGER THOMAS ZEB WEST 0.00 0.00
MATT MAINHART 0.00 0.00
COURTLAND WILLIAMS DAVID GRANTHAM 0.00 0.00
RYAN KILLINGER DICKIE KILLINGER 0.00 0.00
GERALD HERRING 0.00 0.00
ROBERT MONROE 0.00 0.00
BUBBA BARNETT TIMMY BRASEH 0.00 0.00
BOBBY LASSITER 0.00 0.00
JORDON BROWN BRANDON CARTER 0.00 0.00
Total Entrys $2,520.00
BONUS $ $1,205.00
Neuse River Spring Final Fund $500.00
Total Paid At Ramp $4,540.00
Total Paid Spring 2022 Neuse River $10,300.00

Kevin VanDam Surges to Group A Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft

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Kalamazoo Pro Catches Two-Day Total of 21 Bass Weighing 51 Pounds, 3 Ounces to Win Automatic Berth to Championship Round – 19 Anglers Advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round

Link to Video Highlights of Group A Qualifying Round Day 2

SPRING CITY, Tenn. (June 6, 2022) – Bass Pro Shops pro Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan , caught 12 scorable bass weighing 30 pounds even to earn the win Monday and advance directly to his third Bass Pro Tour Championship Round at the General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft in Spring City, Tennessee. This will mark the first time VanDam – whose astounding career is comprised of 29 major wins and eight Angler of the Year (AOY) awards – has earned an automatic berth to the Championship Round on the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour.

VanDam’s two-day Qualifying Round total of 21 bass weighing 51 pounds, 3 ounces earned him the Group A win by a solid 10-pound, 15-ounce margin over second-place pro Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, who caught a two-day total of 18 bass totaling 40-4. Berkley pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama started in 16th place on Monday, before ending the day in third place with a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 34-13, while Tennessee pro Andy Morgan of Dayton , finished the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 13 bass weighing 34-10. Favorite Fishing pro Mark Daniels, Jr. of Tuskegee, Alabama rounded out the top five with a two-day total of 15 bass weighing 34-8.

The six-day event, hosted by Fish Dayton, the Rhea County Economic Tourism Council and Spring City, Tennessee, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

“Things normally don’t go the way you plan them, but today was a perfect day for me,” VanDam said. “I knew I had a little ground to make up, so I decided to start in a creek to get away from the main river current and I got off to a good start.”

VanDam started the day in sixth place but moved quickly to the top spot by the end of Period 1. He began the second period with a one-pound lead over the entire field, before gaining more ground to start Period 3 with a 10-pound, 1-ounce advantage.

“I knew if I could make a run at it and be able to automatically qualify for the Championship Round, I’d be sitting in a great spot,” VanDam said. “The Knockout Rounds are one of the hardest rounds to get through on this tour because the weights zero and all the guys you are up against have been catching them for two days in a row. Anything can happen, so everything has to go well, and you’ve really got to be catching them. Being able to skip that day of competition and move on is key.”

VanDam has several big wins on Tennessee River lakes – including his 2021 Bass Pro Tour win on Lake Chickamauga – and more than 20 top-10 finishes on the TVA fisheries, so it’s no surprise to find him on top of the leaderboard midway through the event. What is surprising, however, is his technique.

“I’m junk-fishing, which is far different than I initially planned to fish on Watts Bar Lake and the Tennessee River,” said VanDam, “Fortunately I’ve been able to make it work so far.

“I expected to come here and throw crankbaits on offshore ledges – and that’s what I’d love to do, but that just didn’t happen in practice, so I’ve had to mix it up,” VanDam continued. “I’ve caught a lot of my fish flipping a Strike King KVD Perfect Plastics Game Hawg , watermelon-seed-colored with a little chartreuse on the tail, around shallow docks and shallow brush.

“I also caught some key fish on a Strike King KVD Jerkbait and skipping a Strike King Thunder Cricket around rocks and overhanging trees, just mixing it up and doing whatever fits what’s in front of me.”

VanDam said earning the automatic berth to the Championship Round is a really good feeling, especially after a tough tournament at Lake of the Ozarks last month, where he finished in 51st place.

“I’m happy to be able to bounce back here at Watts Bar Lake after a disappointing finish at the last event,” said VanDam. “Lake of the Ozarks was a place where I had a ton of confidence and I had a great practice, but I just didn’t execute and never made it past the Qualifying Round.

“I’m really focusing on AOY points, so that event cost me a lot right there for the season,” VanDam went on to say. “In spite of that, we’re going to end up with a good finish here, regardless of how things go on Thursday, and I’m looking forward to taking a shot at the win.”

Covington, Georgia pro Jared Lintner also made a big run Monday afternoon, catching a total of 18 pounds, 8 ounces on the day to finish with a two-day total of 27-14, moving him from 25th place into 11th and securing his spot in Wednesday’s Knockout Round. Pro Paul Elias of Laurel, Mississippi caught a 2-13, followed by a 1-10 in the final hour to move from 29th place to 20th for the day and squeeze into the Top 20. Elias was only one of two anglers to move into the Top 20 during Day 2 of the Group A Qualifying Round.

“This thing took a toll on me, let me tell you,” Elias said after the round concluded. “My practice was pretty bad, and the first day of competition just crushed me, but thankfully I got on a smallmouth deal that saved me and we made it in the top 20.

“I ended up having to go to some spinning stuff and I started throwing a little 6-inch worm on a ¼-ounce drop-shot,” Elias said. “I caught a largemouth weighing 4-13 with that on Saturday, and one or two on it today, but most of my fish were caught on a wacky-rigged stickbait, and I’m just not that style of fisherman.

“I made so many mistakes today, just trying to skip that thing under stuff, but it worked out and I’m thankful to be moving on to the next round,” Elias concluded.

The top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off day, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition on Tuesday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place Wednesday. Thursday’s Championship Round will feature VanDam, Tuesday’s Group B winner, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group A that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Watts Bar Lake are:

1st:           Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 21 bass, 51-3
2nd:          Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 18 bass, 40-4
3rd:          Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 16 bass, 34-13
4th:           Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 13 bass, 34-10
5th:           Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 15 bass, 34-8
6th:           Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla., 14 bass, 32-5
7th:           Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 13 bass, 32-4
8th:           Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 15 bass, 31-11
9th:           Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 15 bass, 30-1
10th:        Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 27-15
11th         Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 13 bass, 27-14
12th:        Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas, 12 bass, 27-11
13th:        Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 13 bass, 25-11
14th:        Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 13 bass, 25-10
15th:        Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 11 bass, 25-2
16th:        Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 14 bass, 25-0
17th:        Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 13 bass, 24-11
18th:        Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 24-3
19th:        Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., nine bass, 24-1
20th:        Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss., 10 bass, 21-9
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.Overall, there were 177 scorable bass weighing 385 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 40 pros Monday.
Morgan caught a 5-pound, 14-ounce largemouth throwing a jig in the second period to earn the third $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 competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B competed on Sunday and will resume competition on 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 the Spring City Boat Ramp, located at 417 Toestring Valley Road in Spring City, Tennessee. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the ramp, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome and encouraged to attend all launch and takeout events and to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce 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 the REDCREST 2023 championship.

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 General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 29 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 competition.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, 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.

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