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Brandon Lester Holds On To Top Spot At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

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June 5, 2022

Brandon Lester Holds On To Top Spot At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is leading after Day 3 of the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a three-day total of 63 pounds, 3 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

June 4, 2022

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Brandon Lester Holds On To Top Spot At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

COUNCE, Tenn. — Saying you need 20 pounds per day to win is one thing, but actually producing those results hasn’t been an easy task at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.

Unless you’re Brandon Lester.

The veteran Elite Series pro bagged a 21-pound, 6-ounce limit on Day 3 of the tournament, giving him a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 63-3. Lester’s weight on Saturday matched the 21-6 he produced on Day 1 and followed his 20-7 from Day 2.

The 34-year-old pro from Fayetteville, Tenn., (about two hours from Pickwick Landing State Park), is the only angler among the 91 who started the tournament who has caught at least 20 pounds daily. It has him in the pole position on this 43,100-acre impoundment of the Tennessee River that flows between Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “I’ve been here before. I know you can’t count on things before they happen, but the fish are there.”

Lester didn’t take a long time to find bass Saturday, with his second catch earning him the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day.

“A 6-13 was my second fish. That was nice,” he said, smiling at the good fortune he hopes to stretch one more day.

Lester has built his lead on a primary location that slopes from 5 to 8 feet in depth. On Day 1, he used a Strike King 4.0 crankbait to catch most of his best bass, though a 6-9 he hooked came on a football jig. The past two days, he’s relied on a Berkley MaxScent Magnum Hit Worm (plum apple) with a 1/8-ounce Mustad tungsten nail weight in the head.

“It’s typical ledge stuff,” he said. “I’m in a small spot. It’s a clean spot and I’m dialed in. I found it the third morning of practice. There was a big tournament won there maybe 10 years ago. I was idling through there and I saw them on my side scope. When I saw them, I knew it was a special spot.”

A pair of Elite Series rookies — and veterans of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops — are his closest competitors.

Cody Huff, a 25-year-old pro from Ava, Mo., who fished collegiately at Bethel University, remained in second place with 59-13. Jacob Foutz, a 23-year-old from Charleston, Tenn., who fished for Bryan College, is third with 58-5.

Both anglers qualified for Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk when they were in college and worked their way into the Elites through the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by Mossy Oak Fishing. Now roommates on the Elite Series, they have vast experience on Pickwick, much like Lester who has fished competitively here throughout his career.

Huff said earlier that he feels at home on Pickwick and the results show it. He caught a 19-5 limit on Saturday, leaning on a lure that helped him win a college national championship on Oklahoma’s Lake Tenkiller in 2018.

“It’s a Dixie Jet Talon spoon,” he said of his confidence bait. “I caught 22 pounds on it yesterday and 19 pounds today. It has a slow fall for being such a big bait because it’s so wide … I’ve been throwing the shattered glass color, but I don’t think it makes a difference. You just surprise them with it.”

Foutz was in sixth place heading into Saturday’s action, and he wasted no time making his move up the leaderboard, finishing Day 3 with a 21-4 limit.

“I think in my first seven casts I caught almost 18 pounds,” Foutz said. “I culled up a few more times in the morning and then I pretty much sat there and guarded my hole so no one else could get on it. I’ve caught all my fish pretty much in one spot this week and it keeps reloading.”

Foutz said he knew right away Saturday his spot was going to produce again.

“I think they’re pulling up and feeding on shad,” he said. “They came up schooling this morning. I looked at my cameraman and said ‘it’s about to go down.’ They were blowing shad out of the water.”

Foutz said he’s caught “95 percent” of his bass this week on a Strike King 10XD crankbait and a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm.

“Most of them have been in about 18 feet of water, sliding down to about 23, 24 feet,” he said.

The Top 10 anglers made the Day 3 cut and will fish Sunday for the $100,000 prize that goes to the winner. Joining Lester, Huff and Foutz are, fourth, Maryland’s Bryan Schmitt, 56-14; fifth, Florida’s John Cox, 56-6; sixth, Texas pro Chris Zaldain, 56-2; seventh, Idaho’s Brandon Palaniuk, 54-9; eighth, Kentucky’s Matt Robertson, 53-8; ninth, Japan’s Kenta Kimura, 53-5; and 10th, Alabama’s Justin Atkins, 53-4.

Zaldain took the lead for the VMC Monster Bag of the tournament with a 22-8 limit Saturday. He said his entire bag was caught in approximately 35 feet of water with 6 and 7-inch prototype swimbaits from Bass Mafia, which he’ll reveal Sunday.

Palaniuk maintained the lead in a tightly contested race for the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year title with 536 points. He is followed closely by Cox (518), Tennessee pro David Mullins (486), Lester (477) and Georgia pro Drew Benton (440).

Alabamian Joseph Webster held onto the lead in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 373 points, followed by Foutz (371) and Wisconsin pro Jay Przekurat (355).

The final day will begin Sunday with a 7 a.m. CT with takeoff from Pickwick Landing State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m.

The Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake is being hosted by Tour Hardin County.

2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 6/2-6/5
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 63-03 100 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 20-07 Day 3: 5 21-06
2. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 59-13 99
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-03 Day 3: 5 19-05
3. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 15 58-05 98
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 21-04
4. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 56-14 97
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day 3: 5 18-13
5. John Cox DeBary, FL 15 56-06 96
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 22-03 Day 3: 5 18-09
6. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 15 56-02 95
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 5 22-08
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 54-09 94
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 18-01
8. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 14 53-08 93
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 4 10-11 Day 3: 5 20-07
9. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 15 53-05 92
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 18-03
10. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 15 53-04 91
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 20-14
11. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 51-02 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 14-15
12. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 51-02 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 16-02
13. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 50-07 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 14-01 Day 3: 5 16-09
14. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 50-06 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 16-13
15. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 15 50-01 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 19-04
16. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 49-15 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-13 Day 3: 5 21-06
17. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 15 49-14 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 11-04
18. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 15 49-05 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 19-15
19. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 49-03 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 16-03 Day 3: 5 15-06
20. Darold Gleason Many, LA 15 48-01 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 15-08
21. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 15 47-09 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 5 16-02
22. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 15 47-05 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 13-05
23. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 15 47-03 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 15-02
24. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 46-07 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day 3: 5 18-02
25. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 46-00 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-02 Day 2: 5 12-10 Day 3: 5 11-04
26. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 14 45-12 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 13-07 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 15-05
27. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 15 45-11 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 14-11
28. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 15 45-10 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 13-01
29. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 45-05 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 15-04
30. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 44-15 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 12-06
31. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 44-12 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 15-05
32. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 43-13 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 15-11 Day 3: 5 11-15
33. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 43-12 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 14-12
34. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 43-09 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 15-04 Day 3: 5 14-03
35. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 15 43-07 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 5 13-05
36. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 43-01 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 13-10 Day 3: 5 13-09
37. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 15 42-00 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 13-14 Day 3: 5 11-02
38. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 15 41-14 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 12-02
39. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 41-07 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 15-05 Day 3: 5 13-07
40. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 40-06 61 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 10-12
41. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 15 39-12 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 10-13
42. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 15 39-05 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 10-06
43. Bryan New Saluda, SC 13 39-01 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 13-02 Day 3: 4 11-08
44. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 11 37-04 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 1 03-00
45. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 13 36-00 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-08 Day 3: 3 07-01
46. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 13 34-10 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 3 06-15
47. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 13 34-03 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 3 05-13
———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-09 $1,000.00
2 Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 07-15 $1,000.00
3 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-13 $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 76 425 1258-11
2 76 421 1220-10
3 42 224 697-02
———————————-
194 1070 3176-07

Tosh Tops at Toyota Series Western Division Finale on California Delta

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June 4, 2022

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BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (June 3, 2022) – Pro Stephen “Bub” Tosh, Jr., of Modesto, California, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces to win the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the California Delta and earn the top payout of $25,604. Tosh’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 59 pounds even earned him the victory by a 4-pound, 3-ounce margin over second place pro Lane Olson of Forest Grove, Oregon, who caught 15 bass weighing 54-13 to finish second and earn $9,922.

To do so, Tosh said he combined a duo of baits that are out of production with a modern-day staple.

“I had two 6-pounders this week and a couple of 5-pounders, but no giant fish,” he said. “Most of my fish came on a Transporter Frog made by Paycheck Baits that I designed years ago. They haven’t made them in years, but they’re going for $60 to $80 on eBay.”

Tosh’s other legacy bait was a Paycheck Baits Punch Skirt, another throwback to another time that he still has a few of in his tackle shop.

To supplement those baits, Tosh added a ChatterBait, a wacky-rigged Senko and a Lobina Rico Popper that helped him cull up with mostly 3-pounders. He boated them in secret, in hidden cuts and pockets tucked deep in the Delta’s maze, and that, he said, was by design.

“I think about my grandpa out there,” he added. “I think about my dad who doesn’t fish much anymore. I think about that older generation watching and fishing vicariously through me. I’m a tournament warrior that was raised by an extreme angler who fished until he couldn’t anymore.”

The top 10 pros on the California Delta finished:

1^st:          Stephen Tosh, Jr., Modesto, Calif., 15 bass, 59-0, $25,604
2^nd:         Lane Olson, Forest Grove, Ore., 15 bass, 54-13, $9,922
3^rd:         Nick Salvucci, Atascadero, Calif., 14 bass, 53-12, $7,681
4^th:         Randy Pierson, Oakdale, Calif., 15 bass, 52-9, $7,401
5^th:         Ronald Lorenzo, Princeton, Calif., 15 bass, 52-7, $5,761
6^th:         Christian Ostrander, Turlock, Calif., 15 bass, 52-5, $5,621
7^th:         Phillip Dutra, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 52-0, $4,481
8^th:         Brett Leber, Dixon, Calif., 15 bass, 50-14, $3,841
9^th:         Benjamin Byrd, Moab, Utah, 15 bass, 48-6, $3,200
10^th:       Michael Caruso, Peoria, Ariz., 15 bass, 47-15, $2,560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Gregg Leonard of Wilton, California, won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Thursday with a largemouth weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces. Ostrander earned Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award with a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass.

Pierson took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Tyson Christman of Glendale, Arizona, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 35 pounds, 4 ounces. Bloom took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the California Delta finished:

1^st:          Tyson Christman, Glendale, Ariz., 15 bass, 35-4, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2^nd:         Brandon Gee, Yuba City, Calif., 15 bass, 34-5, $3,461
3^rd:         Scott Bern, San Rafael, Calif., 12 bass, 30-12, $2,799
4^th:         J.D. Farage, Discovery Bay, Calif., 14 bass, 30-12, $2,317
5^th:         Jay Guterding, Redding, Calif., 15 bass, 30-10, $1,986
6^th:         Dominick Mohameds, Oakley, Calif., 15 bass, 30-1, $1,655
7^th:         Cody Crist, Ramona, Calif., 15 bass, 30-1, $1,324
8^th:         Daniel Lutz, Las Vegas, Nev., 13 bass, 29-13, $1,159
9^th:         David Zavvar, Concord, Calif., 14 bass, 29-6, $993
10^th:       Tracy Patton, Oakdale, Calif., 12 bass, 29-2, $1,228

The Day 1 Berkley Big Bass $150 award winner in the Strike King co-angler division, was Bern with a largemouth weighing 8 pounds even, while the Day 2 $150 award went to Firuz Gizatullin of Discovery Bay, California, who weighed in a 6-pound, 14-ounce largemouth.

With the Toyota Series Western Division regular season now complete, pro David Valdivia of Riverside, California, has won the Toyota Series Western Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 747 points, while Tyson Christman of Glendale, Arizona, won the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 750 points.

The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place June 23-25 – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Southern, Southwestern Presented by Outlaw Ordnance and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. 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, Outlaw Ordnance, 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 MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

Missouri’s Conner Cunningham Extends Lead into Final Day of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton

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June 4, 2022

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Ozark Division Boater Catches 15-Pound, 2-Ounce Limit to Pad Lead to More Than 8 Pounds, Final 10 Boaters and Co-anglers Ready for Championship Saturday

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (June 3, 2022) – It is turning in to the Conner Cunningham show at Lake Hamilton this week. After starting the day in with a 4-pound, 10-ounce lead, Cunningham, from Springfield, Missouri, weighed in a five-bass limit Friday totaling 15 pounds, 2 ounces, to extend his lead and pace the final 10 boaters that have now qualified to compete on Championship Saturday at the 39^th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton Presented by T-H Marine in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Cunningham’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 32-10 will give him an 8-pound, 5-ounce advantage heading into the final day of competition. Boater Hunter Eubanks of Inman, South Carolina, weighed in a two-day total of 10 bass for 24-5 to finish Day 2 in second place, while Alexandria, Kentucky’s Sean Wieda rounds out the top three with a two-day total of 22-12.

The final 10 boaters and Strike King Co-anglers are now set, and competition will resume tomorrow morning on Championship Saturday. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, features the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.

“Today definitely blew all of my expectations out of the water,” a happy Cunningham said after weighing in on Friday. “I’m honored to just be here, let alone leading this thing. The worst that I can do tomorrow is 10^th place.”

Cunningham said that he fished the same way Friday that he did on Day 1, covering water and hitting around 30 different spots with a trio of baits that he declined to divulge.

“I’m just covering a ton of water and fishing what’s in front of me,” Cunningham said. “I caught my last fish today out deep, cranking a hump, and I was fortunate that it was a five-pounder.

“Tomorrow, I’ll fish my fish the whole entire day,” Cunningham said. “I’ve been trying to save some. This lake is small, and I’ve been laying off them the last couple of days and trying to save them. I’m going to milk it for everything it’s worth tomorrow.”

When asked what he thought about being so close to the top payout of $120,000 and how he was feeling, the Ozark Division angler said that he would sleep just fine on Friday night.

“I try not to think about the money – I just leave it with the man upstairs,” Cunningham went on to say. “If He wants me to win, I’ll win. Now tomorrow morning when I’m taking off at 6:30 a.m. it might be a whole different ball of wax, but right now I’m just so happy to be here I think I’ll sleep just fine tonight.

The top 10 boaters advancing to the final day of the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:

1^st:          Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., 10 bass, 32-10
2^nd:         Hunter Eubanks, Inman, S.C., 10 bass, 24-5
3^rd:         Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky., 10 bass, 22-12
4^th:         Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 22-4
5^th:         David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., 10 bass, 21-7
6^th:         Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., 10 bass, 21-6
7^th:         Andy Wicker, Cayce, S.C., 10 bass, 20-12
8^th:         Jonathan Crossland, Chapin, S.C., 10 bass, 20-7
9^th:         Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., 10 bass, 20-4
10^th:       Mike Reid, Greenville, Texas, 10 bass, 19-5

Finishing in 11^th through 49^th are:

11^th:       Drew Tabor, Harrison, Ark., 10 bass, 19-4, $3,000
12^th:       Wade Ramsey, Choctaw, Okla., 10 bass, 18-15, $3,000
13^th:       Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 18-8, $3,000
14^th:       George Brown, Camby, Ind., 10 bass, 18-6, $3,000
15^th:       Preston Henson, College Grove, Tenn., 10 bass, 18-4, $3,000
16^th:       Matthew Marinelli, Salem, Conn., 10 bass, 18-4, $3,000
17^th:       Brad Kell, Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 18-4, $3,000
18^th:       Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 10 bass, 18-2, $3,000
19^th:       Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-13, $3,000
20^th:       David Bright, Mooresville, N.C., 10 bass, 17-6, $3,000
21^st:       Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., 10 bass, 17-2, $2,000
22^nd:      Laker Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 17-1, $2,000
23^rd:      Matt Henry, Milledgeville, Ga., 10 bass, 17-1, $2,000
24^th:       Jarrett Martin, Mansfield, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-0, $2,000
25^th:       Darren Ashley, Calhoun Falls, S.C., 10 bass, 16-14, $2,000
26^th:       Kevin Brown, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 16-9, $2,000
27^th:       Taylor Parker, Lake View, Ala., 10 bass, 16-9, $2,000
28^rd:      Perry Dawson, Rockwood, Tenn., 10 bass, 16-8, $2,000
29^rd:      Michael Duarte, Baltimore, Md., 10 bass, 16-7, $2,000
30^th:       Steve Phillips, Douglas, Ga., 10 bass, 16-7, $2,000
31^th:       Chase Stewart, Ware Shoals, S.C., 10 bass, 15-10, $1,500
32^nd:      Kevin Powers, Unicoi, Tenn., 10 bass, 15-5, $1,500
33^th:       Robert Crosnoe, Inverness, Fla., nine bass, 15-3, $1,500
34^th:       Paul Bottali, York, Pa., 10 bass, 15-2, $1,500
35^th:       Scott Browning, Franklin, N.C., nine bass, 14-6, $1,500
36^th:       Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, 10 bass, 14-3, $1,500
37^th:       Brien Vaughn, Walnut Shade, Mo., 10 bass, 14-0, $1,500
38^th:       Ryan Deal, Evansville, Ind., nine bass, 13-11, $1,500
39^th:       David Rice, Galena, Mo., nine bass, 13-10, $1,500
40^th:       Eddie Hinojosa, Kingsburg, Calif., nine bass, 13-3, $1,500
41^nd:      Christopher Helfer, Baltimore, Ohio, nine bass, 13-3, $1,500
42^th:       Jordan Hirt, Glenwood, Iowa, 10 bass, 13-3, $1,500
43^th:       Randy Siemens, Kalispell, Mont., nine bass, 13-2, $1,500
44^th:       Scott Bonnema, Deerwood, Minn., nine bass, 12-7, $1,500
45^th:       Bill Buckner, Scottsburg, Ind., 10 bass, 11-14, $1,500
46^rd:      Hunter Litchfield, Macomb, Ill., nine bass, 11-12, $1,500
47^st:       Tyler Smith, Selma, Ala., eight bass, 10-8, $1,500
48^nd:      Christopher Chavis, Guyton, Ga., seven bass, 9-11, $1,500
49^th:       Taylor Johnson, Texarkana, Ark., six bass, 8-9, $1,500

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

Overall, there were 231 bass weighing 395 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 49 boaters Friday. The catch included 39 five-bass limits.

After two days of competition, co-angler Cory Guinn of Mountain Rest, South Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hamilton with a total of 10 bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces. Guinn will bring a 3-pound, 8-ounce lead into Championship Saturday over second-place co-angler Clint Horton of Falkner, Mississippi, who weighed in a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 14 pounds, 15 ounces.

“As long as the shallow bite is working and those deep bites set up on brush piles, it should be a good day. Really it is just going to depend on what my boater is wanting to do,” Guinn said.

“I didn’t have a single bite until about 10 this morning,” Guinn said. “As soon as the sun came out though, the fish started setting up right. I caught two back-to-back and it really got me going for the rest of the day.”

Guinn hails from Mountain Rest, South Carolina, more than 700 miles away from Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton. Although the distance may be far, the Palmetto State co-angler says that he feels right at home in the Ozarks because of the characteristics of Hamilton.

“Just like our lakes back home, Lake Hamilton has threadfin shad,” Guinn said. “There’s also a ton of docks and offshore brush piles. Learning how to skip docks really helps fishing here because when the sun is out here, these fish love to set up under those docks.”

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers advancing to the final day of competition at the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:

1^st:          Cory Guinn, Mountain Rest, S.C., 10 bass, 18-7
2^nd:         Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss., 10 bass, 14-15
3^rd:         Brendan Vinton, Braintree, Vt., nine bass, 14-8
4^th:         Zachary Verbugge, Lake Havasu, Ariz., 10 bass, 14-8
5^th:         Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., 10 bass, 13-15
6^th:         Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., nine bass, 13-14
7^th:         Hunter Dahnke, Missoula, Mont., 10 bass, 13-11
8^th:         Jeffery Johnson, Austin, Ind., 10 bass, 13-1
9^th:         Alan Hill, Ada, Okla., eight bass, 12-15
10^th:       Steven Obester, Palatka, Fla., seven bass, 12-12

Finishing in 11^th through 49^th are:

11^th:       Chandler White, Covington, Ga., seven bass, 12-11, $1,500
12^th:       Kenneth Hunnicut, Jacksonville, Fla., eight bass, 12-7, $1,500
13^th:       Billy Rusher, Lincoln, Ark., six bass, 12-6, $1,500
14^th:       Scott Blaesi, Maxwell, Neb., eight bass, 11-12, $1,500
15^th:       Harold Addison II, Columbia, S.C., eight bass, 10-15, $1,500
16^th:       Harrison McCall, Salisbury, N.C., eight bass, 10-10, $1,500
17^th:       Brian Short, Oxford, Ohio, seven bass, 10-8, $1,500
18^th:       Randy Allen, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 10-7, $1,500
19^th:       Gilbert Jolley, Livingston, Tenn., eight bass, 10-6, $1,500
20^th:       Kim Sapetti, Chatham, Ill., seven bass, 10-0, $1,500
21^st:       Drew Cress, Highland, Ill., six bass, 9-7, $1,000
22^nd:      Gary Owens, Columbus, Ind., seven bass, 9-1, $1,000
23^rd:      Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla., eight bass, 9-1, $1,000
24^th:       B.K. Kelley, Chester, Va., seven bass, 9-0, $1,000
25^th:       Brian Choate, Conway, Ark., seven bass, 8-12, $1,000
26^th:       Brad Smith, Montevallo, Ala., seven bass, 8-5, $1,000
27^th:       Andy Vance, Danville, Ind., five bass, 8-4, $1,000
28^th:       Carl Whipple, Manassas, Va., seven bass, 8-1, $1,000
29^th:       Patrick Weir, Park Hill, Okla., four bass, 7-9, $1,000
30^th:       Kyle Rogers, Cleveland, Ga., seven bass, 7-6, $1,000
31^st:       Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., six bass, 7-1, $750
32^nd:      Steve Sorrell, Beavercreek, Ohio, eight bass, 7-1, $750
33^rd:      Blake Hollingsworth, Oxford, Ala., six bass, 6-14, $750
34^th:       Danny Robinson, Fairland, Ind., five bass, 6-4, $750
35^th:       Gary Meredith, Mount Juliet, Tenn., six bass, 6-0, $750
36^th:       Tyler Stuart, Manchester, Mo., five bass, 5-10, $750
37^th:       Randy Hudson, Columbus, N.C., five bass, 5-8, $750
38^th:       Brian Zelinskas, Beavercreek, Ohio, four bass, 5-5, $750
39^th:       John Martin, Ridley Park, Pa., four bass, 5-5, $750
40^th:       Andrew Wooley, Little Rock, Ark., four bass, 5-2, $750
41^st:       Samuel Jones, Fuquay Varina, N.C., five bass, 5-0, $750
42^nd:      Luke Schmits, Alexandria, Ky., four bass, 5-0, $750
43^rd:      Jarrod Bailey, Salyersville, Ky., three bass, 4-15, $750
44^th:       James Menold, Amory, Miss., four bass, 4-14, $750
45^th:       David Ondrla, Elmhurst, Ill., four bass, 4-8, $750
46^th:       Max Stawinoga, Prairie du Sac, Wis., three bass, 3-7, $750
47^th:       Max Meister, Atco, N.J., three bass, 3-5, $750
48^th:       Russell Woodson, Jonesville, S.C., three bass, 3-1, $750
49^th:       Chris Grimes, Thurmont, Md., one bass, 1-3, $750

Overall, there were 150 bass weighing 206 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 43 Strike King Co-anglers on Friday. The catch included 16 five-bass limits.

The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers competed on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. Now, after two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete tomorrow on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 39^th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.

The final 10 boaters and Strike King Co-anglers will launch Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs. Saturday’s Championship weigh-in will be held at the launch location and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend Saturday’s launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

Television coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere in early October on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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.

About Major League Fishing

Tennessee Pro Lester Seizes Control Of Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

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June 4, 2022

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Tennessee Pro Lester Seizes Control Of Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is leading after Day 2 of the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a two-day total of 41 pounds, 13 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

June 3, 2022

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Tennessee Pro Lester Seizes Control Of Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

COUNCE, Tenn. — Brandon Lester said his goal at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake is to weigh 20 pounds per day.

He’s halfway home and right on target.

Lester, a 34-year-old pro who resides in Fayetteville, Tenn., caught a 20-pound, 7-ounce limit on Friday, giving him a two-day total of 41-13 and the overall lead in the event. He was in fifth place after Day 1 with 21-6.

Lester predicted the tournament would be won on offshore ledges and he’s targeted those spots so far. It doesn’t hurt that he’s intimately familiar with the lake, living two hours away and fishing here in various derbies throughout his career.

Still, he said each of the 91 anglers competing this week is grinding to find the bites on the 41,300-acre impoundment that stretches through Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“Nothing comes easy,” Lester said. “I caught a solid bag off my main spot this morning and I made two critical culls later in the day, a 3 1/2 and a 3 3/4 that bumped me up another couple pounds. I had a sneaky spot where I caught one of those, but there’s not a lot of fish there. A school that sits on these spots might have seven or eight fish, but it’s good for rolling up and getting a bite.

“I didn’t want to go to it, but I felt like I needed to,” he added, mentioning his 20-pound goal.

Having the right offshore space has been crucial so far on Pickwick, and Lester said protecting his main spot is ‘critical.’ Pickwick is one of the country’s most popular lakes for boating and the warm, late-spring weather expected this weekend will do nothing to change that.

“The community spots are taking a beating,” Lester said. “My spots are taking a beating too. I had a couple of locals watching me today. They might be out there pounding ’em right now. There’s so much unknown in a tournament like this. But it’s been a good tournament so far.”

Lester wanted to wait another day to divulge which lures he’s using or how deep he’s fishing, but he did say he’s looking for something specific on his depthfinder.

“When (anglers) start beating on those community schools, the fish start splitting up in satellite schools and setting up in different places,” he said. “I think I found one of them today and was able to make one of those culls.”

Cody Huff, a 25-year-old pro from Ava, Mo., is in second place with a two-day total of 40-8. He was 11th after Day 1 with 18-5 but jumped in the standings with 22-3 on Friday.

Like Lester, Huff has experience on Pickwick, having fished collegiately at Bethel University, which is located in McKenzie about 90 minutes north of the Pickwick Dam.

“This is a lake I got to spend some time on,” Huff said. “I got to fun fish, and I fished several college tournaments here this time of year too. This is the first (Elite Series tournament) this year at a place I’m familiar with.”

Huff’s bite came later Friday, after current started running through the impoundment.

“I had a pretty small bag until about noon,” he said. “When the current started rolling, I went back to a place I had fished earlier in the day, and it was just loaded. Things really went down for about 30 minutes. We got everything we needed.”

Huff said he’s throwing a variety of baits to spark bites.

“These fish are so smart and so pressured, it seems like you have to show them a lot to get them fired up,” he said. “I didn’t have (company) on my spot until this afternoon when (Day 1 leader) Matt Robertson rolled up whenever I was catching them. He may there be tomorrow … You never know. Locals might be out there too, with us not taking off until 7 o’clock. It’ll be interesting.”

Robertson is still in the lead for VMC Monster Bag of the Week for his 22-6 limit on Day 1, but he fell to 18th after weighing in just four bass for 10-11 on Day 2.

Japan’s Taku Ito remains in third place behind Lester and Huff with a two-day total of 38-10. Unlike Day 1, when Ito relied on a baitcaster for some of his heaviest bass, he returned to his favorite technique on Friday, catching 16-9 all finesse fishing.

Like the two anglers ahead of him, Ito said finding the right bass took patience. He had seven catches on Friday.

“It was tough,” he said. “I couldn’t find a bass school until about 9 a.m., 10 a.m. But I found a smallmouth school and I caught them quickly. In the afternoon, I had a big bite and culled a couple of times.”

Ito said he found bass in 5 to 6 feet of water on Day 2, though he’s prepared to head back offshore to deeper water if necessary.

“It may be harder for me tomorrow,” he said. “But I’ll find them.”

Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., in fourth place with 38-1, and he provided the Yamaha Clip of the Day when a 4 1/2-pound bass came unhooked at the boat. Schmitt was able to grab the fish with his hand and add it to his livewell. The bass completed Schmitt’s limit, as he had only five catches on the day.

John Cox of DeBary, Fla., had 22-3 Friday and is in fifth place with 37-13. He caught each of his bass in a strikingly shallow depth, likely because of a mayfly hatch overnight.

“It was maybe 2 feet, a foot and a half,” he said. “Everything got perfect. The wind got right. It was blowing in on this little area. I think the deep fish decided to come up to eat bluegills (that were eating mayflies).

“It was just a magical area for a little bit of time,” he said. “I fished 50 or 60 areas today and nothing like that happened anywhere else.”

Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the day – a 7-15 largemouth that was nearly half of his 17-7 haul.

Idaho pro Brandon Palaniuk maintained his lead in the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 536 points. He is followed by Cox (518), Lester (477), Tennessee pro David Mullins (460) and veteran Arizona pro Clifford Pirch (448).

Alabamian Joseph Webster leads the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 370 points, followed by Tennessee’s Jacob Foutz (368) and Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat (355).

The Top 47 remaining anglers will fish Saturday with takeoff scheduled for 7 a.m. CT from Pickwick Landing State Park. Weigh-in will be held at the park at 3:10 p.m. with only the Top 10 anglers advancing to Championship Sunday for a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.

Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m.
The Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake is being hosted by Tour Hardin County.

2022 Whataburger Bassmaster at Pickwick Lake 6/2-6/5
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 41-13 100 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 20-07
2. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 40-08 99
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-03
3. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 10 38-10 98
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 16-09
4. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 38-01 97
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 17-12
5. John Cox Debary, FL 10 37-13 96
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 22-03
6. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 37-01 95
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 18-00
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 36-08 94
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 14-11
8. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 36-03 93
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 18-12
9. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 35-02 92
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-13
10. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 35-00 91
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 18-02
11. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 34-12 90
Day 1: 5 22-02 Day 2: 5 12-10
12. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 10 34-04 89
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 17-00
13. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 34-00 88
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 17-01
14. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 33-14 87
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 14-01
15. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 33-13 86
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 16-03
16. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 33-10 85
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 16-02
17. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 33-09 84
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 17-05
18. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 9 33-01 83
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 4 10-11
19. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 32-09 82
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 18-06
20. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 32-09 81
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-00
20. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 10 32-09 81
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-00
22. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 32-06 79
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 14-00
23. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 32-01 78
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 16-09
24. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 31-14 77
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 15-11
25. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 31-07 76
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 14-03
26. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 31-00 75
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 16-15
27. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 30-14 74
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 13-14
28. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 30-13 73
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 15-03
29. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 9 30-07 72
Day 1: 4 13-07 Day 2: 5 17-00
30. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 10 30-02 71
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 14-05
31. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 30-01 70
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 16-01
32. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 29-12 69
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 12-15
33. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 29-10 68 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-07
34. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 29-08 67
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 13-10
35. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 29-07 66
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 15-06
36. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 29-06 65
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 15-04
37. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 29-06 64
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-15
38. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 29-00 63
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 17-04
39. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 28-15 62
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 12-04
40. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 28-15 61
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 16-05
41. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 28-15 60
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-08
42. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 28-09 59
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-13
43. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 28-06 58
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 15-10
44. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 28-05 57
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-09
45. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 28-00 56
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 15-05
46. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 27-11 55
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 15-09
47. Bryan New Saluda, SC 9 27-09 54
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 13-02
48. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 27-05 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 12-08
49. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 27-00 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-15
50. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 26-15 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 14-13
51. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 26-13 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 15-02
52. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 26-09 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 11-15
53. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 26-08 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 14-04
54. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 26-05 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 10-05
55. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 26-01 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-07
56. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 10 26-00 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 13-08
57. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 25-14 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-06
58. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 7 25-10 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 2 08-12
59. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 25-04 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 11-04
60. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 25-03 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 12-09
61. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 9 25-02 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 08-14
62. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 25-02 39
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 13-05
63. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 25-02 38
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 13-03
64. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 24-15 37
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 12-03
65. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 24-13 36
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 12-04
66. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 24-10 35
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 12-12
67. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 8 24-08 34
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 5 17-08
68. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 8 24-05 33
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 5 17-12
69. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 23-10 32
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 10-11
70. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 23-06 31
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 11-09
71. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 23-03 30
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 12-11
72. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 22-12 29
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 10-11
73. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 9 22-11 28
Day 1: 4 10-05 Day 2: 5 12-06
74. David Williams Newton, NC 8 21-10 27
Day 1: 4 10-13 Day 2: 4 10-13
75. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 9 21-07 26
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 12-09
76. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 9 20-11 25
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 4 07-12
77. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 19-10 24
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
78. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 8 19-10 23
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 5 11-08
79. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 9 19-05 22
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 4 09-03
80. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 7 19-00 21
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 5 14-11
81. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 8 18-15 20
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 3 07-08
82. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 8 18-14 19
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 3 08-00
83. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 8 18-05 18
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 13-00
84. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 9 18-04 17
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 5 10-11
85. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 7 17-08 16
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 2 04-00
86. Mike Huff London, KY 7 15-08 15
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 5 11-09
87. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 7 14-10 14
Day 1: 4 09-06 Day 2: 3 05-04
88. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 6 12-13 13
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 5 10-05
89. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 6 12-07 12
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 4 07-10
90. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 11-14 11
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
91. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 2 05-08 10
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-09 $1,000.00
2 Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 07-15 $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 76 425 1258-11
2 76 421 1220-10
———————————-
152 846 2479-05

Revo Teams Up With Leading Female Angler Darcie Arahill aka Darcizzle

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June 3, 2022

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Revo Teams Up With Leading Female Angler Darcie Arahill aka Darcizzle
On Two New, Limited-Edition Sunglasses for Fishing
The two new frames were created with lenses for deep sea or inland fishing

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New York, NY – June 3, 2022: Revo, the global leader in high-quality performance sunglasses, announces today a new collaboration with America’s top female angler and YouTuber, Darcie Arahill, aka “Darcizzle Offshore” on two, new, limited-edition sunglasses for fishing and outdoor adventure. The sunglasses, created for both deep sea and inland fishing, are set to launch on the Revo website on June 2nd.

In time for summer, the Revo x Darcizzle Offshore sunglasses are appropriately named Mahi and Sailfish and are available with an Evergreen lens that’s great for inland fishing, and a Blue Water lens that’s ideal for deep sea adventures. The Evergreen lens cancels surface glare and makes those green tones pop while the Blue Water lens, Revo’s heritage blue mirror coating, is ideal for bright conditions on the water, offering maximum glare protection and visible clarity.
“When you think of female anglers, you think Darcizzle,” says Cliff Robinson, CEO of Revo. “She’s really paving the way for others in the fishing industry, and we were so happy to partner with her. She really worked with us to create the most effective, comfortable and stylish sunglasses for the water. We decided that two frames – for both inland and deep-sea fishing – would serve the fishing and boating community in all conditions.”
Darcie is a female angler in South Florida whose goal is to prove that women, children and young anglers can discover the secrets of fishing and become accomplished anglers in the fishing industry. To that end, she showcases everything from rigging to driving, reeling, fishing, and even cleaning the catch on her YouTube channel, Darcizzle Offshore. Each video features a new destination and contains offers tips and how-tos for those who want to learn.

“I‘m really excited to be partnering with Revo on these two pairs of sunglasses for fishing and outdoor adventure,” says Darcie Arahill of Darcizzle Offshore. “When you’re on the water as much as I am, it’s so important to have high-quality eye protection, and Revo’s lenses are truly bar none.”

Revo’s signature NASA-based Light Management System has been protecting consumers from harmful bandwidths of sunlight for decades with a collection of lenses that protect, enhance, and improve the way we see the world. Every Revo lens protects from 100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC light to help prevent vision problems.

To learn more about Revo x Darcizzle Offshore’s new frames or purchase, please visit www.revo.com.

About Revo
Founded in 1985, Revo quickly became a global performance eyewear brand known as the leader in polarized lens technology. Revo sunglasses were first created by utilizing lens technology developed by NASA as solar protection for satellites. Now, more than 35 years later, Revo continues to build on its rich tradition of technology and innovation by offering the clearest and most advanced high-contrast polarized eyewear in the world.

About Darcizzle Offshore
Darcie aka Darcizzle has been on the water since the age of three when she started tagging along with her father fishing and lobstering on an 18′ Gheenoe out of Miami, Florida; her hometown. She currently lives in Boynton Beach, FL and fishes weekly on a 23′ SEADEK Proline out of Boynton Beach Inlet. Darcie recently quit her full-time desk job after 5 years to pursue her fishing dreams. She is now a full-time YouTuber and outdoors/fishing girl while providing fishing tips, tricks, how-tos, techniques & more. Darcie is also a writer for Coastal Angler Magazine, Palm Beach County edition, with her own monthly fishing report & tips article. Darcizzle Offshore is proud to support a number of companies and organizations related to fishing, diving and the ocean in general by assisting and doing whatever is necessary to market and promote her sponsor’s and partner’s products and events.

Missouri Boater Connor Cunningham Leads Day 1 of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton

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June 3, 2022

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Missouri Boater Connor Cunningham Leads Day 1 of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton

Ozark Division Angler Catches 17½-Pound Limit to Bring 4-Pound, 10-Ounce Advantage into Day 2

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (June 2, 2022) – Despite only getting five bites throughout the day, they were definitely the right quality of bites. Anchored by a beautiful 6-pound, 11-ounce Lake Hamilton largemouth, boater Connor Cunningham of Springfield, Missouri, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Thursday weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces, to jump out to the early lead at the 39^th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton Presented by T-H Marine in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Cunningham will start Day 2 with a 4-pound, 10-ounce advantage over second place boater Ryan Powroznik of Hopewell, Virginia, who caught five bass totaling 12 pounds, 14 ounces. Of the 98 competitors – 49 boaters and 49 Strike King Co-anglers – competing in the event, all 98 weighed in at least one fish and 63 anglers weighed in a five-bass limit.

The three-day tournament, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, features the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.

“Well, my day looks a lot better on paper – I only got five bites today – and fortunately I was able to catch them all,” said Cunningham, who qualified for this event from the BFL Ozark Division. “I bounced around a lot and caught my fish on a variety of techniques. None of those fish in my bag knew each other, let’s say that. I caught my fifth keeper when they were out schooling, about 1:30 this afternoon.”

Cunningham said that he didn’t have a whole lot of experience on Lake Hamilton, but it fishes very similar to his local waters back home.

“I was able to come down to Lake Hamilton just a couple of times before it went off limits, and other than that I’ve never seen the place. It does fish very similar to Lake of the Ozarks back home, though.”

Cunningham politely declined to mention any specifics in regard to his baits and techniques he used Thursday, including the details on his big 6-11 kicker, but he did say that his plan for tomorrow was going to be to continue to grind away and bounce around covering water.

“It took me two hours this morning to catch one, then it was something like one an hour from then on,” the Missouri boater said. “I don’t have anything else, so I’m just going to roll with the same thing. I could come in with zero tomorrow, but in a tournament like this you have to swing for the fence. So that’s what I’m going to do.”

Although he didn’t have as much weight, second-place boater Powroznik caught many more bass overall than Cunningham did.

“It took me a while to get going, but I think I caught around 25 throughout the day,” Powroznik said. “I caught my fish offshore, fishing brush piles and some rough spots off the bank. The weather conditions were not what I wanted, and I lost a few fish as well. But overall, I’m pleased.”

Powroznik said that he caught his fish on finesse-style baits in 10 to 18 feet of water.

The top 20 boaters after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:

1^st:          Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 17-8
2^nd:         Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., five bass, 12-14
3^rd:         Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky., five bass, 12-8
4^th:         Hunter Eubanks, Inman, S.C., five bass, 11-14
5^th:         Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 11-13
6^th:         Preston Henson, College Grove, Tenn., five bass, 11-7
7^th:         Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 11-3
8^th:         David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 11-0
9^th:         Andy Wicker, Cayce, S.C., five bass, 10-14
10^th:       Jonathan Crossland, Chapin, S.C., five bass, 10-13
11^th:       Wade Ramsey, Choctaw, Okla., five bass, 10-6
12^th:       Drew Tabor, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 10-3
12^th:       David Bright, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 10-3
14^th:       Kevin Brown, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 10-2
15^th:       Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., five bass, 9-9
16^th:       Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., five bass, 9-7
17^th:       Steve Phillips, Douglas, Ga., five bass, 9-1
18^th:       Mike Reid, Greenville, Texas, five bass, 9-0
18^th:       Matthew Marinelli, Salem, Conn., five bass, 9-0
20^th:       Jarrett Martin, Mansfield, Ohio, five bass, 8-14
20^th:       Matt Henry, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 8-14

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

Overall, there were 241 bass weighing 428 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 49 boaters Thursday. The catch included 45 five-bass limits.

Billy Rusher of Lincoln, Arkansas, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hamilton after Day 1 with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces. Rusher will begin Day 2 of competition on Friday with a 1-pound, 5-ounce advantage over second-place co-angler Evan Eldred of Gaines, Michigan, who weighed in five bass totaling 9 pounds, 15 ounces.

“I had a limit by 9 a.m. this morning,” Rusher said. “I was able to get a limit really before the rain started and once that rain started it really slowed down for me. I culled a few times once the rain let up.”

Rusher, like Cunningham, wasn’t ready to give anything away about how he was catching them. However, he did admit what wasn’t really working for him to start out his day.

“I was fishing pretty slow today,” Rusher said. “I tried to catch them on topwater this morning and I just couldn’t make it work. I figured out one bait that I could get them to bite and that’s the bait I stuck with all day long. I won’t say what it was, but there was a lot of shake, rattle and roll in my presentation.”

The top 20 Strike King co-anglers after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:

1^st:          Billy Rusher, Lincoln, Ark., five bass, 11-4
2^nd:         Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., five bass, 9-15
3^rd:         Hunter Dahnke, Missoula, Mont., five bass, 9-0
4^th:         Cory Guinn, Mountain Rest, S.C., five bass, 8-14
5^th:         Kenneth Hunnicut, Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 7-13
6^th:         Zachary Verbugge, Lake Havasu, Ariz., five bass, 7-10
6^th:         Jeffery Johnson, Austin, Ind., five bass, 7-10
8^th:         Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss., five bass, 7-2
9^th:         Scott Blaesi, Maxwell, Neb., five bass, 6-11
10^th:       Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., five bass, 6-10
11^th:       Harrison McCall, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 6-5
12^th:       Chandler White, Covington, Ga., five bass, 6-1
13^th:       Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 6-0
14^th:       Gary Owens, Columbus, Ind., five bass, 5-13
15^th:       Alan Hill, Ada, Okla., three bass, 5-12
16^th:       Tyler Stuart, Manchester, Mo., five bass, 5-10
17^th:       Randy Hudson, Columbus, N.C., five bass, 5-8
18^th:       Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla., four bass, 5-3
19^th:       Luke Schmits, Alexandria, Ky., four bass, 5-0
19^th:       Samuel Jones, Fuquay Varina, N.C., five bass, 5-0

Overall, there were 168 bass weighing 228 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 49 Strike King Co-anglers on Thursday. The catch included 18 five-bass limits.

The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers compete on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 39^th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.

Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs. Weigh-in each day will be held at the launch location and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

Television coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere in early October on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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.

Robertson Goes Offshore To Grab Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

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June 3, 2022

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Robertson Goes Offshore To Grab Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

Matt Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky., is leading after Day 1 of the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with 22 pounds, 6 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

June 2, 2022

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Robertson Goes Offshore To Grab Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake

COUNCE, Tenn. — Matt Robertson has been waiting for a warm-weather tournament on a Tennessee River fishery since he qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series two years ago.

He’s got one in the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.

The 36-year-old Kentucky pro took the Day 1 lead with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces and said he felt “at home” on Pickwick’s offshore ledges, which he exploited for his best bass, the heaviest weighing 5 1/2 pounds.

Unless something drastically changes, Robertson will head straight back to the ledges Friday when the derby resumes on this 43,100-acre impoundment that flows between Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“We’re doing what we like to do,” Robertson said. “I’m just rotating through some spots. Nothing special. Hopefully, we’ll go back out there and crack ‘em.”

Robertson has spent at least a quarter-century learning his sport on ledge fisheries like Kentucky Lake (his home water) and other lakes along the Tennessee River. He said the experience helped him Thursday.

“You’re not getting a lot of bites, but I think I’ve figured out some things to trigger some of the bigger bites,” he said. “There are one or two little things I don’t think (other guys are) doing. It’s only the first day, but we’ll go bang on ‘em tomorrow.”

The 91 pros entered in the derby predicted that getting away from boat traffic would be difficult on Pickwick, which is one of the country’s more popular recreational lakes, especially coming off the Memorial Day holiday. Robertson said he had no such problems on a hot and still Thursday, when temperatures stayed in the mid-80s and humidity was over 70 percent.

“I fished some community holes and I had a few guys let me fish behind them,” he said. “But places where I caught the weight, I was good to go.”

The trick, of course, will be getting a few repeat performances. True to his style, Robertson is confident he can get that done.

“I do feel at home,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this one a long time, a Tennessee River ledge-fishing tournament … I’ve had to really adjust my fishing the past couple of years, but I’m really an offshore fisherman. I love fishing deep. I know that’s how some of the (Elite) tournaments have been won (recently), but here, you have no other choice.

“You come to the TVA in the summer, you better get off the bank.”

Jason Christie, the reigning champion of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, is just behind Robertson with 22-2. Japanese-born pro Takumi Ito is third with 22-1 with veteran pros Brandon Palaniuk and Brandon Lester on their heels with 21-13 and 21-6, respectively.

Lester, of Fayetteville, Tenn., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the 6-9 he weigh-in today.

Christie’s bite came offshore as well, with one bass caught in at least 30 feet of water. He said he was fishing scared Thursday and he wasn’t kidding.

“In practice, I wouldn’t stand up to fish,” he said. “If I saw (fish), I just kept on going. Today I’m even scared to fish. I pull in, look around, catch three or four and go to the next spot. I’m afraid someone’s going to see me.”

The potential threats came from land, too.

“There was a dude on a four-wheeler about 500 yards away on the bank watching me fish,” the Park Hill, Okla., pro said. “I was afraid he was gonna tell his buddy where I was.”

Christie’s biggest bass Thursday weighed 5-2, but he said many of his bites are “skinny.”

“If you interview anyone up here, they’ll say they got lucky and got five big bites,” Christie said. “My next five (heaviest) bass would have weighed 12 pounds.”

Ito is a finesse fisherman who said the muggy and warm conditions suit his style just fine. Like Robertson learning to fish ledges at a young age, Ito said fishing patiently is a reality for all anglers learning the sport in Japan.

Unlike Robertson and Christie, Ito said he tried his hand on the banks Thursday, as well his methodical approach on Pickwick’s ledges. He said he caught his heaviest bass on a baitcaster in the morning and found other sizable fish in relatively shallow (5 to 6 feet) water. Others came from as deep as 25 to 26 feet.

“If there’s a strong wind, I cannot hold bait (in place),” he said. “So, no current is perfect for me.”

Palaniuk vaulted up the leaderboard courtesy of a 6-2 bass he caught in the waning moments.

“It was a place I caught a bunch of 2-pounders in practice,” he said. “(The 6-2) was literally a 3-pound upgrade.”

Palaniuk, the veteran pro from Rathdrum, Idaho, maintained the lead in the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 539 points. He is followed by John Cox of DeBary, Fla., with 490, Lester with 473, Drew Benton of Blakely, Ga., with 457 and David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 455.

Jacob Foutz, another Tennessee River specialist from Charleston, Tenn., took the lead in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 365 points. Wisconsin pro Jay Przekurat, who has led the race much of the season fell to second with 353, followed by Alabamian Joseph Webster with 348.

Day 2 of the event will begin with a 7 a.m. CT takeoff from Pickwick Landing State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. The Top 47 anglers will advance to fish on Day 3. Full coverage can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and FOX Sports digital platforms.

The Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake is being hosted by Tour Hardin County.

2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 6/2-6/5
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 22-06 100
Day 1: 5 22-06
2. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 22-02 99
Day 1: 5 22-02
3. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 22-01 98
Day 1: 5 22-01
4. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 21-13 97
Day 1: 5 21-13
5. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 21-06 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06
6. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 20-05 95
Day 1: 5 20-05
7. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 19-13 94
Day 1: 5 19-13
8. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 19-10 93
Day 1: 5 19-10
9. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 19-01 92
Day 1: 5 19-01
10. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 18-06 91
Day 1: 5 18-06
11. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 18-05 90
Day 1: 5 18-05
12. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 17-10 89
Day 1: 5 17-10
13. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 17-09 88
Day 1: 5 17-09
13. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 17-09 88
Day 1: 5 17-09
15. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 17-08 86
Day 1: 5 17-08
16. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 17-07 85
Day 1: 5 17-07
17. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 17-05 84
Day 1: 5 17-05
18. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 17-04 83
Day 1: 5 17-04
19. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 17-04 82
Day 1: 5 17-04
20. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 17-00 81
Day 1: 5 17-00
21. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 16-15 80
Day 1: 5 16-15
22. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 16-14 79
Day 1: 5 16-14
22. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 16-14 79
Day 1: 5 16-14
24. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 16-13 77
Day 1: 5 16-13
25. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 16-11 76
Day 1: 5 16-11
26. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 16-04 75
Day 1: 5 16-04
26. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 16-04 75
Day 1: 5 16-04
28. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 16-03 73
Day 1: 5 16-03
29. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 16-01 72
Day 1: 5 16-01
30. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 16-00 71
Day 1: 5 16-00
31. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 15-14 70
Day 1: 5 15-14
32. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 15-13 69
Day 1: 5 15-13
33. John Cox Debary, FL 5 15-10 68
Day 1: 5 15-10
33. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 15-10 68
Day 1: 5 15-10
35. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 15-08 66
Day 1: 5 15-08
36. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 14-13 65
Day 1: 5 14-13
37. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 14-10 64
Day 1: 5 14-10
38. Bryan New Saluda, SC 5 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 14-07
38. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 14-07
38. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 14-07
41. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 14-03 60
Day 1: 5 14-03
42. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-02 59
Day 1: 5 14-02
43. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 14-01 58
Day 1: 5 14-01
44. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 14-01 57
Day 1: 5 14-01
45. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 14-00 56
Day 1: 5 14-00
45. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 14-00 56
Day 1: 5 14-00
47. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 13-12 54
Day 1: 5 13-12
48. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 13-12 53
Day 1: 5 13-12
49. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 13-08 52
Day 1: 5 13-08
49. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 13-08 52
Day 1: 5 13-08
51. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 4 13-07 50
Day 1: 4 13-07
52. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 12-15 49
Day 1: 5 12-15
52. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 12-15 49
Day 1: 5 12-15
54. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 12-12 47
Day 1: 5 12-12
54. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 12-12 47
Day 1: 5 12-12
56. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 12-11 45
Day 1: 5 12-11
57. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 12-10 44
Day 1: 5 12-10
57. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 12-10 44
Day 1: 5 12-10
59. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 12-10 42
Day 1: 5 12-10
60. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 12-09 41
Day 1: 5 12-09
61. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 12-08 40
Day 1: 5 12-08
62. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 12-04 39
Day 1: 5 12-04
63. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 12-03 38
Day 1: 5 12-03
64. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 12-02 37
Day 1: 5 12-02
64. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 12-02 37
Day 1: 5 12-02
66. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 12-01 35
Day 1: 5 12-01
67. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 11-15 34
Day 1: 5 11-15
68. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 11-14 33
Day 1: 5 11-14
68. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 11-14 33
Day 1: 5 11-14
70. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 11-13 31
Day 1: 5 11-13
71. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 11-13 30
Day 1: 5 11-13
72. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 11-12 29
Day 1: 5 11-12
73. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 11-11 28
Day 1: 5 11-11
74. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 11-07 27
Day 1: 5 11-07
75. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 10-14 26
Day 1: 5 10-14
76. David Williams Newton, NC 4 10-13 25
Day 1: 4 10-13
77. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 10-08 24
Day 1: 5 10-08
78. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 4 10-05 23
Day 1: 4 10-05
79. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 10-02 22
Day 1: 5 10-02
80. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 4 09-06 21
Day 1: 4 09-06
81. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 4 08-14 20
Day 1: 4 08-14
82. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 3 08-02 19
Day 1: 3 08-02
83. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 4 07-09 18
Day 1: 4 07-09
84. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 3 07-00 17
Day 1: 3 07-00
85. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 3 06-09 16
Day 1: 3 06-09
86. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 2 05-08 15
Day 1: 2 05-08
87. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 3 05-05 14
Day 1: 3 05-05
88. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 2 04-13 13
Day 1: 2 04-13
89. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 2 04-05 12
Day 1: 2 04-05
90. Mike Huff London, KY 2 03-15 11
Day 1: 2 03-15
91. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 1 02-08 10
Day 1: 1 02-08
———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-09 $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 76 425 1258-11
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76 425 1258-11

Saginaw Bay Set To Host Bassmaster College Series

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June 2, 2022

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Saginaw Bay Set To Host Bassmaster College Series

Michigan’s Saginaw Bay will host the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops June 9-10.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 2, 2022

Saginaw Bay Set To Host Bassmaster College Series

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BAY CITY, Mich. — Last year, the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops made its inaugural journey to Saginaw Bay, and anglers reported catching 50 to 60 bass in a day along with multiple 20-pound bags of both smallmouth and largemouth.

This year, young anglers will make the trip North again for the Bassmaster College Series at Saginaw Bay June 9-10. Former Elite Series pro Garrett Paquette, who currently competes in the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by Mossy Oak Fishing, believes the fishing could be even better.

“There’s a little part inside of me that is going to be selfishly disappointed when the world is exposed to how great the fishery is,” the Canton, Mich., native said. “If they have good weather for this tournament, it is going to open a lot of eyes around the country.”

Located on the southwestern side of Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay has flown under the radar as a premier smallmouth fishery — and the largemouth fishing has improved greatly over the past couple of years in both quality and quantity.

The Auburn University duo of Tucker Smith and Logan Parks won last year’s tournament with a two-day total of 40 pounds, 9 ounces, catching both smallmouth and largemouth.

“The cool thing about Saginaw Bay is, you don’t have to run to one certain area to catch bigger fish. There are fish along all the shorelines, all of the islands,” Paquette said. “Guys are going to find stretches of spawning fish and big prespawn females, but you don’t have to run to a certain area to win. I know tournaments get won on every little corner of that bay, which is really unique.”

Winter and spring have been on the cooler side in the Northern part of the country, according to Paquette, and he thinks that will push back the prime smallmouth spawning time to around the start of the tournament. The prespawn and spawning smallmouth will likely set up on rock-related structures like boulders, gravel and rock-to-sand transitions. If there are smallmouth on bed, anglers will likely be able to see them.

A wide range of baits, including drop shots, Ned rigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits and jerkbaits might come into play.

“Right around Memorial Day is usually the prime fishing time,” he said. “But with this year being so cold, it is setting up to probably be best when these teams are going to be there. If the weather is good and guys can get around, smallmouth are going to win most likely.”

Near the shoreline, the largemouth will get in the cattails, reeds and other grasses and are also prevalent in the Saginaw River. Paquette said numbers of largemouth are easy to come by, but with higher water levels the past couple of years, the quality has improved to the point that anglers can compete with a mixed bag or largemouth alone. The largemouth will likely be postspawn, biting topwaters, swim jigs and flipping baits.

“It is probably the most underrated largemouth fishery there is,” he said. “It is nothing to go up there and catch 60, 70 to 100 largemouth a day close to the bank and in the grass. It used to be that you could only catch 2- and 3-pound largemouth, and they were fun to catch but didn’t have an impact in tournaments. But now, it is getting to the point where guys are catching 4- to 6-pound fish.”

The most prevalent factor on Saginaw Bay is the wind, and Paquette said some of the roughest water he has experienced was on that fishery.

The full field will compete June 9-10 with daily takeoffs from Independence Boat Launch at the USS Edison Battle Ship at 5:30 a.m. ET. Weigh-ins will take place back at the ramp at 2:30 p.m. Coverage can be found on Bassmaster.com.

The 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Bassmaster Junior Series at Saginaw Bay will be held on June 11.

The tournaments are being hosted by the Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation.

June 2022 Potomac River Fishing Report by Capt. Steve Chaconas

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June 2, 2022

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June 2022 Potomac River Fishing Report by Capt. Steve Chaconas

This is topwater time. Lots of different types will work, including poppers, walkers, wakers and frogs. Check out the JUNE forecast.

We just added some great new videos on how to use spinnerbaits and tips on how to fish the June conditions. The components…https://youtu.be/w4sw2uF0Xk4. When to use them… https://youtu.be/i8NO35fdFZg. How to tune them… https://youtu.be/8Vls_Sd4FJY.

Bass tournaments are very popular, but there may be changes on the way that will limit how they are conducted. https://youtu.be/Vihi__wS_II

After many requests to fish small local waters, my all electric boat is ready to action. https://youtu.be/2di6pBNZ6x0

Here’s what you can expect in June.

June 2022The north end of the river is being ignored, as milfoil grass is not growing! Post spawn areas are over hard cover and docks. Moving baits prevail. Dock fishing is tops! For the areas from Piscataway (very little grass), Pohick and south, bass will be returning to main river grass and are in summer pattern. Check out shallow main river and creek mouth grass: Greenway Flats, Occoquan, Pohick, Mattawoman, Potomac and Aquia and hard cover like Wilson Bridge pilings, the Pentagon Lagoon wall, and Washington Channel. DC police don’t want you along Fort McNair. You need a DC fishing license and a Coast Guard approved safe boating course to fish or navigate in DC waters! Virginia boaters need a certification too!

Shallow cranks and squarebills are excellent for shallow wood and grass. A 7-foot medium action composite cranking rod allows long casts and is easy to rip from grass. Try it on a fast reel to be able to speed up or catch up! BTW, KVD Mustad Ultra Point Triple Grip Trebles are an awesome replacement hook! Sharp and they can be upsized for better hookups!

Under cloudy skies, early morning or with low water, try topwaters. Search for the clearest water and work top down. Post spawners fall for walking baits, keep them moving after misses! Otherwise, you won’t get them to come back very often! Warmer afternoons produce topwater action with poppers. Low water is best no matter water clarity. In clear calm low light use small light-colored poppers. With more chop and stained water, try darker and bigger baits. Bigger baits create commotion in choppy water. When grass is matted, use swim toads and hollow frogs! For toads I use 5/0 Mustad Ultra Point swimbait hooks with adjustable weight to cast farther and to go faster, depending on the thickness of the grass! Use 60-pound test GAMMA Torque braid!

Mud Puppy Boogie Buzz buzzbaits bring up bigger fish. In open water add a 2/0 or 3/0 stinger hook. In general, if water is clear, speed up retrieve. Slow down in stained water and go to a buzzbait with a clacker. Have a follow-up bait ready on a spinning reel to cast to misses, Mud Puppy JERK SHADS and Mud Puppy Custom Lures 5” Jiggle Stick worms on 3/0 hooks.

Target grass clumps and edges, pads, and docks with jigs and plastics. Try 1/2 and 3/8-ounce jigs with Mud Puppy 3” Mad Craws. A good pair of polarized sunglasses like Maui Jim Polarized Plus in Maui HT protects from UV A&B rays enabling you to spot wood, grass, etc. even in stained water. Green pumpkin copper and blue craw tubes Texas rigged on 3/0 hooks with a 3/16 BULLSHOT weight work in heavy cover. In other cover, use insert tube heads. Swim tubes over grass, around wood and through pads. Skip tubes under docks and over shallow cover…skipping is more natural. Fish slower in stained water. On bright sunny days, fish hold tight to cover. On cloudy days, fish might not stray too far from cover, so work deeper docks and nearby grass edges. Docks with grass are usually better at higher tides on sunny days. Texas rigged bulky, thumping craws are a big fish bait!

Swimming black/brown ½ ounce jigs around docks and over grass is also working. Trim weed guards and use Mud Puppy 3” Mad Craws with vibrating claws. Punch through grass mats with 60-pound GAMMA Torque on a 5/0 hook. Use a ¾ or 1-ounce tungsten weight. Look for mats with a mix of hydrilla and milfoil. Milfoil makes an archway exit/entrance to the mats.

In Spoils and Smoots Carolina rigs, split shot and drop shot rigs are great with Mud Puppy Custom Lures DS (drop shot) worms on wide gap thin wire hooks. For split shot rigs use bullet-shaped BULLSHOT split shot from Water Gremlin. In stained water drop shot darker baits on a 6-12 inch leader keeping baits in the strike zone around drops and near grass edges as long as you need it. Pitch to the bottom and gently shake. If you feel cover with your weight, leave to aggravate fish into biting. The Drop Shot can be flipped or pitched with heavy line.

Cast stick worms like green pumpkin 5″ Mud Puppy Custom Lures 5” Jiggle Stick worms weightless Texas rigged on 3/0 hooks or wacky with a 2/0 weedless wacky hook and let drop…no other action required. Let it sit and gently twitch. Pull to the surface and drop again…back to the boat. If fish are chasing on the retrieve, go to moving baits or soft plastic jerkbaits. Neko rigs are also good with 1/8 or smaller weights.

As water rises, stay in contact with grass: the outside edge, the inside edge, and the TOP edge. Work the top and inside edge as clear water rises and cover a lot of water with bladed jigs. I use a Mud Puppy Jerk Shad as a trailer! This is a huge target! Try craw patterns as well as traditional black/blue and white combos.

Go 4-10 feet deep with crankbaits on drops around the Spoils, Smoots, South Point, Fort Washington Lighthouse, and Hogg Island. With 12-pound test GAMMA Copoly make longer casts to cover water. Try darker patterns, like firetiger and craw patterns.

Try 1/4-ounce spinnerbaits at low tide and 3/8 at high. The smaller bait comes through grass easier on short-targeted casts. Larger baits work well at higher tides to cover water and work best under cloudy conditions, with a chop on the water. In clearer water, go to willow/Colorado nickel blades with a white/chartreuse skirt. Stained water, white skirt and tandem Colorado/Indiana gold blades. Cast into pockets and across edges, maintaining contact. 16-20 pound test Gamma Fluorocarbon keeps baits higher over grass.

Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River.
To book a trip call 703-380-7119 or contact [email protected]

Troy Wines Wins Bass Cast Kayak Month Long with 100.00″

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June 2, 2022

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Troy Wines Wins Bass Cast Kayak Month Long with 100.00″

Thirty anglers battled it out through the month of May for the title of “Month-long Tournament Champion”. The totals were close until the end, but Troy Wines took the win with 100.00″. Of the 21 fish Troy submitted, he had both a large and small mouth citation – for 22.25″ and 20.25″ respectively, and also took home the side pot for big fish.

Roberts Clements took 2nd and Matthew Shepherd took 3rd, with only .25″ separating them.

Thanks to all of the anglers who joined us for this event. We look forward to seeing you at our next event on the New River on June 11th. Registration is open now, so sign up today! https://tourneyx.com/leaderboard/standings/basscast-new-river

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June 2022 Potomac River Fishing Report by Capt. Steve Chaconas

Troy Wines Wins Bass Cast Kayak Month Long with 100.00″

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