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Tuesday, December 16, 2025
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Walters Takes Watts Bar Lead after day one of NPFL on Watts Bar

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Walters Takes Watts Bar Lead after day one of NPFL on Watts Bar

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

Patrick Walters
With a limit of 16-pounds, 14 ounces including a 6-pound, 6-ounce kicker, Patrick Walters takes the day one lead at the NPFL stop three on Tennessee’s Watts Bar Reservoir. After a slow start to his morning, Walters was able to nickel and dime his way to a solid limit on the day.

“I was boat five and I knew I had my choice of an area. I wanted to start shallow but I started offshore and it just wasn’t happening. I bounced around and ran both shallow and deeper water for a while and finally got my first keeper at 8 AM. It took a lot longer than I thought it would.”

Walters used around 16 or 17 rods on the day and kept one side for shallow and one side for offshore bite. He does not believe that timing matters much throughout the day but noted they definitely bite better when there was water moving.

“I think they are going to be pulling some water tomorrow and I have a long day. Today I felt like my back was against the wall a little with time but it should be good tomorrow. I am looking at them on my electronics and scanning around for my bait, fish and any structure.”

Sheldon Collings
With 14-pounds, 12-ounces, Sheldon Collings brought a limit to the scales on day one good enough to finish in the 2nd place spot. After a quick start to his morning that included a limit in the first twenty minutes, Collings moved around the rest of the day looking for bigger bites.

“I was semi surprised with today as my practice was not great. I started on schooling fish and got that quick limit and then mixed up a ton of baits and a ton of spots to expand on my early 11-pound limit.”

With a longer day coming tomorrow, Collings is excited to go get back out but warns that the lack of sun (tomorrow) may affect his pattern as the tournament progresses along. Relying on bigger fish, he knows that is key to staying near the top throughout the week is getting those bites.

“All my weight came basically because of those three bigger bites. I am catching a ton of keepers but those few got me up there in weight. I did lose a big one today, probably a five pounder and it wrapped me around a tree.”

Pug Clements
Finishing the day in the 3rd place spot, Pug Clements ran a junk fishing pattern to catch his 14 pounds, 10 ounces on day one. He visited several types of areas, both shallow and deep, and use several types of baits and noted that the big bites were few and far between.

“There isn’t much to say unfortunately; I caught some fish all over. I got two good bass on a shad spawn deal this morning, caught two others from my bag flipping laydowns and caught one off a brush pile in 24-foot.”

Admitting to preferring to have a pattern to run, versus running around junk fishing, Clements is sticking with his guns on day two and hoping for a couple more bigger bites to anchor his bag.

“The only deal I was able to catch a fish over 3-pounds is on that shad spawn or flipping laydowns. I am getting a bunch of bites but a lot of those are short fish mixed in. I have no idea what’s going to happen, I am just fishing.”

Shawn Murphy
After a rough practice period, Shawn Murphy relied on a “just go fishing” mentality and weeded through several small schools of fish to catch 14-pounds, 9-ounces to finish the day in the 4th place spot.

“I tried to find some offshore schools in practice and never made it happen. The shallow bite wasn’t going for me either and this morning I didn’t know what I was going to do or what I was going to catch.”

Spending some time behind the wheel and locating small groups of fish now and then, Murphy was able to capitalize on bass that were set up correctly for him to effectively present his bait. As for tomorrow, more of the same.

“I honestly never got on any schooling fish or found anything to start on and I just have to go and try to find some of those same fish and look for new ones too. I did catch a few on Active Target in front of the boat and watched them eat my bait.”

Dale Prinkey
With 14-pounds, 7-ounces on day one, Dale Prinkey ended the day in the 5th place spot by relying on just one spot he found on day two of practice and one productive bait.

“I didn’t get on this spot until early afternoon and I saw guys on it most of the morning but I mixed up a lot of different baits and there is only one in particular I can get them to commit to.”

Obviously not wanting to let the cat out of the bag just yet, Prinkey is confident if he can get back on the spot and settle in with some current moving, he has a shot to catch more on day two.

“There is a lot of fish there if they move water at all, they stack up and I should be able to get on it again.”

Rest of the best:
6th Ryan Satterfield 13-13
7th Paul Browning 13-12
8th Louis Fernandes 13-10
9th Chance Woodard 13-4
10th Michael Brewer 13-2

FULL LEADERBOARD

JOIN US LIVE tomorrow starting @ 8AM EST

MLF Unveils New Events – The General Tire Team Series

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MLF Unveils New Events – The General Tire Team Series

Four-Event Series Showcasing MLF Pros Competing as Three-Man Teams for $300,000 Top Prize to Film This Fall, Premiere in January on Outdoor Channel

TULSA, Okla. (May 25, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today a new series that will film this fall and premiere in January of 2023 – the General Tire Team Series. The General Tire Team Series will showcase the 80 anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour, joined by the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE champion, competing as three-man teams across four events for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payouts. The General Tire Team Series will succeed the current MLF Cup events, which have aired for 13 seasons on the Outdoor Channel.

The decision to launch the Team Series comes after an extremely successful pilot episode that aired earlier this year. The broadcast featured nine MLF anglers – including REDCREST 2022 Champion Bobby Lane – each fishing in their own boats while competing as three, three-man teams. The anglers on each team wore wireless earpieces which provided constant communication with their teammates. This communication allowed each team to work together and strategize in real-time on the water, shifting baits, techniques, patterns and areas as needed, thus creating a new type of excitement, drama and tournament experience that had never been seen before on television.

Link to FREE full episode – General Tire Team Invitational on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV)

“The General Tire Team Invitational was one of the most memorable, fun events that I have ever competed in,” said Lane, who competed in the event on a team alongside his brother, Chris Lane, and REDCREST 2019 champion Edwin Evers. “Working with my brother and Edwin to break down Garcia Reservoir together while competing against two other teams of some really great anglers was so exciting and fun. We are all incredibly excited for the rollout of this new Series and can’t wait to see how everything plays out.”

“General Tire is excited to continue our partnership with Major League Fishing and deliver another exciting new way for fans to watch their favorite anglers compete,” said Travis Roffler, Director of Marketing for General Tire. “The Team Series, with the MLF SCORETRACKER® leaderboard and the constant communication, is a concept that has never been seen before in professional bass fishing. We love it, the anglers love it, and we know that the fans are going to love it as well.”

The 2022 General Tire Team Series will feature 27 three-man teams competing over three qualifying events. Each qualifying event will feature nine teams, divided into three groups. Each group competition will feature three teams competing over two days to accumulate the highest total two-day weight. The group winners – three teams from each qualifying event – will advance to the General Tire Team Series Championship, which will showcase the nine winning teams competing for a top prize of $300,000.

Like prior MLF Cup events, anglers will only be told the host destination two weeks prior to the event, and won’t learn which fishery they are competing on until they arrive at the boat ramp the morning of competition.

Although the fisheries will not be revealed publicly until the episodes premiere next January on the Outdoor Channel, MLF has announced the filming dates for the 2022 General Tire Team Series:

Qualifying Event #1: Sept. 26-Oct. 1
Qualifying Event #2: Oct. 10-15
Qualifying Event #3: Nov. 8-13
General Tire Team Series Championship: Dec. 5-11

Angler teams for the General Tire Team Series will be determined by a draft. Additional information on the 2022 General Tire Team Series draft will be unveiled this summer.

The winning three-man team in the General Tire Team Series Championship will claim the $300,000 top prize. The second-place team will earn $60,000, and the third-place team will win $30,000. Teams 4-9 in the championship will each earn $15,000 prize. All anglers will receive $3,000 for participating in the no-entry fee Qualifying Events.

Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: B&W Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Covercraft, Crockett Creek Beef Jerky, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Frogg Toggs, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, NGK Spark Plugs, Onyx, Optima Batteries, Phoenix Boats, Power-Pole, Rapala Baits, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Sonic, Star brite, Strike King, T-H Marine, Toyota, USAA, and YETI.

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

Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton Set to Host 39th Annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship Presented by T-H Marine

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Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton Set to Host 39th Annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship Presented by T-H Marine

Major League Fishing’s Grassroots Bass-Fishing Championship to Take Place Next Week in Hot Springs for Record Sixth Time

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (May 24, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to return to Hot Springs, Arkansas, next week, June 2-4, for the 39th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton Presented by T-H Marine. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, will showcase the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and awards the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.

The no-entry-fee-event is the sixth All-American Championship to be held in Hot Springs – a record for the most times a city has hosted the tournament. It is projected to provide an estimated $1 million economic impact to the region.

“We are very pleased to welcome Major League Fishing back to Hot Springs for the 39th annual All-American Championship,” said Steve Arrison, Visit Hot Springs CEO. “Our community loves bass fishing, and it is an honor to host this prestigious grassroots championship for the record sixth time. We know the anglers from around the country are going to have a great time in Hot Springs and we look forward to seeing the big bass that they bring to the weigh-in scales.”

The championship was previously held on Lake Hamilton in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2008 and on DeGray Lake, also in the region, in 2010. The event often serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour. Former All-American champions who currently compete on the Bass Pro Tour and the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit include Shaw Grigsby (1984), Stephen Browning (1996), Jacob Wheeler (2011), Kerry Milner (2013), Jeremy Lawyer (2016) and Nick LeBrun (2018).

“The All-American absolutely jump-started my career, and it jumpstarted the careers of several great anglers – (Rick) Clunn, Clark Wendlandt, Joe Thomas – the list is long,” said Bass Pro Tour angler Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, who won the 1996 All-American Championship on the Arkansas River. “It was a bucket list event to even make the All-American. To win it was certainly a bonus and gave me the opportunity to be financially comfortable starting my career.”

In addition to being a former All-American champion, the Hot Springs angler also resides on Lake Hamilton and expects a fun, competitive tournament this year.

“I live on the banks of Lake Hamilton and fish it quite often,” Browning said. “In early June, the fishery can be kind of tricky. A lot of the kids are out of school, and there is a lot more boat traffic. But, with that said, Lake Hamilton has a tremendous population of fish. It’s not a big fish factory, but there are some really good fish here and the BFL anglers are going to catch a bunch.”

Browning said that if he was competing in the event, he would be starting the event fishing shallow and move deeper as the day progressed.

“I’d be throwing a buzzbait or a Jack Hammer, fishing shallow around water willow and boat docks in the early morning,” Browning said. “Then, from mid-morning through the rest of the day, I would be out in that 12 to 15 feet range fishing brush piles and drop-offs throwing a crankbait – a No. 4 or No. 5 Jackall Digle.

“The key is going to be not getting spun out,” Browning continued. “Don’t get frustrated if you don’t catch fish in a certain area where you thought you were going to. This is a pattern lake, and after a good spawn a week ago I think the bite will move around and get better as the week goes on. So, revisit areas, and don’t lose confidence in a technique even though it didn’t work to perfection the day before.”

Browning went on to predict that the three-day winner would have a cumulative weight from 38 to 42 pounds.

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 full field of 42 boaters and 42 Strike King co-anglers will 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 39th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.

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.

Your Favorite New Fishing Shirt – Whitewater

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Your Favorite New Fishing Shirt – Whitewater

 

Your Favorite New Fishing Shirt

New Rapids Fishing Shirt from Whitewater inspires confidence and elevates performance

MUSKEGON, Mich. (May 24, 2022) – Even the most versatile anglers have decided favorites – favorite species, favorite waters, and favorite gear. Certain lures, lines, rods, and reels simply inspire confidence.

Whitewater believes the right angling apparel can and should inspire confidence, too.

Wherever or however you fish, meet your favorite new fishing shirt… on or off the water.

New Whitewater Rapids Fishing Shirt

The versatile, comfortable and great-looking Rapids Fishing Shirt from Whitewater is available in long-sleeve and short-sleeve versions, multiple colors, and five sizes to meet the individualized needs of any angler. Made for fishing functionality without compromise, the Rapids Fishing Shirt is crafted from a lightweight poly-spandex blend offering supreme flexibility. These staple angling garments offer a relaxed fit to support all the various ways anglers move on the water, advanced moisture wicking, exceptional breathability, UPF 50 sun protection, and proven antimicrobial technology to prevent odors.

Fishing function is supported by form. A pair of buttoned, low-profile chest pockets are large enough to securely hold essential items like line spools, fly boxes and phones, while a vented, poly mesh back keeps things cool. Long-sleeve models feature a retaining system that keeps rolled-up sleeves securely in place.

Exceptional comfort and unique performance characteristics aside, Rapids Fishing Shirts help anglers look as good as they feel. They’re naturally wrinkle-resistant with a tailored, sculpted appearance that’s just as flattering in a grip-and-grin social media post as it is back on the dock, in the clubhouse, or up on the seminar stage. A buttoned collar and straight bottom hemline add to the shirt’s versatility; it looks great with shorts, jeans, slacks or performance pants, either tucked or untucked.

Whitewater Rapids Fishing Shirt Features & Specs

  • Poly spandex blend for comfort, flexibility, and wrinkle resistance
  • Relaxed fit supports extreme mobility
  • Vented back with poly mesh delivers critical breathability and thermal regulation
  • UPF 50 provides solar protection
  • Moisture wicking for comfort and fast drying
  • Antimicrobial treatment for odor prevention
  • Two low-profile buttoned chest pockets keep essential items secure and accessible
  • Long-sleeve models feature roll-up sleeve retention
  • Available in five sizes, men’s SM-3X
  • Long-sleeve models in Blue Bell, Glacial Grey, Black, Lagoon, Reef, or White
  • Short-sleeve models in Strong Blue, Oxford Tan, Deep Sea, Lagoon, Reef, or White
  • MSRP: $34.99 (short-sleeve) / $39.99 (long-sleeve)

Designed, engineered, and crafted to enhance the fishing lifestyle on and off the water, the Rapids Fishing Shirt feels great, looks even better, and incorporates top technologies that inspire confidence and elevate performance. For more information, or to order, visit whitewaterfish.com.

Hamner, Hopper Team Together To Win Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition

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Hamner, Hopper Team Together To Win Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition

The 2022 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors was recognized at the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork, where Alabama pro Justin Hamner and high school angler Braxton Hopper won the Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Photos courtesy of Chris Reynolds and Ken Golubjatkinov

May 25, 2022

Hamner, Hopper Team Together To Win Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition

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HSAA 2022 winners.jpg

QUITMAN, Texas — Bassmaster Elite Series pro Justin Hamner and Bassmaster High School All-American Braxton Hopper have been lifelong competitors on the local tournament scene in their home state of Alabama.

They’ve been taking one another’s money for years.

But on Saturday, they teamed together to win the Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors at Lake Quitman. They were one of 12 teams — each made up of an Elite pro and an All-American — who were allowed to weigh in one bass apiece.

Hopper weighed a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth, and Hamner weighed a 9-7 lunker that ranked as the largest of the event, and the pair won with a Texas-sized two-fish total of 15-14.

“Fishing one day with an Elite pro gave me a whole new perspective on things,” said Hopper, who lives in Chelsea, Ala. “There’s a certain mindset you have to have to compete in this sport, and I understand that now. I didn’t think about it this way before, but now I see what it takes.

“If you’re not fishing to win, you shouldn’t be out there.”

Like most of the All-Americans, Hopper has aspirations of fishing at the professional level — and Hamner said he’s well on his way to being ready.

“We caught a 6-pounder off a brushpile, I caught that 9-pounder and we lost another one that was about 8,” Hamner said. “Then he caught that 6-pounder on a frog. It was a great day.

“Braxton and his dad have been hurting people’s feelings in the tournaments I fish back home for a long time. So, I knew he could fish before he ever stepped in the boat.”

While two Alabama anglers who were familiar with one another took first, the two anglers who finished second were about as different as they could be.

2022 BASS HS All American Fritts.jpg

All-American Rein Golubjatnikov, a self-described “shallow-water specialist” from Pittsford, N.Y., was paired with 1993 Bassmaster Classic champion and 1994 Angler of the Year David Fritts, a Southerner who’s known as one of the best offshore anglers in the history of the sport.

They stuck with Fritts’ specialty, graphing deep-water areas until they found just the right spot for a Carolina rig. Golubjatnikov caught a 4-4 and Fritts caught a 4-1 for the second-place weight of 8-5.

“We spent about half an hour graphing and we found a gravel pile and basically stayed there all day,” Golubjatnikov said. “We just went back and forth through there throwing different baits and the Carolina rig is what worked for us.

“He’s pretty much the opposite of me. I pretty much became an All-American from catching smallmouth shallow. So, I definitely learned a lot today.”

Though they’re different, Fritts said one thing about the young man was familiar.

“Just the energy and enthusiasm he has reminds me of me at that age,” Fritts said. “He’s kind of quiet, listens really well, just wants to soak it all in. It’s been my experience that those are the kinds of people who succeed in this business.”

The 12 Bassmaster High School All-Americans were chosen during an annual process earlier this year that involves hundreds of applications from all over the country. The winners were announced in late April, and on Friday they were treated to a banquet at Academy Sports + Outdoors in Greenville, Texas, where they taught a fishing clinic for children from the Boys & Girls Club and then were treated to a shopping spree inside the store.

The All-Americans also received swag bags with everything from tackle and clothing to Humminbird LakeMaster cards chosen specifically for the region of the country where they live.

“When I first found out that High School All-American was even something that could be done, I told myself no matter what I did, it would go toward getting to this moment right here,” Hopper said. “It’s been everything I dreamed it would be.”

2022 Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 
Final Standings

Braxton Hopper-Justin Hamner 15-14

Rein Golubjatnikov-David Fritts 8-5

Tyson Verkaik-Ray Hanselman 7-15

Jared Mizell-Jake Whitaker 7-13

Nathan Reynolds-Clifford Pirch 7-4

Cole Berry-Austin Felix 7-1

Levi Thibodaux-Jay Przekurat 6-12

Evan Fields-Alex Redwine 6-5

Hudson Choquette-Clent Davis 5-14

Connor Dunn-Taku Ito 5-1

Gabriel Clark-Caleb Sumrall 3-14

Banks Shaw-Jonathan Kelley 0-0

2022 Points Standings as of May 24,2022

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2022 Points Standings as of May 24,2022

We have had a few people as where they sit in the 2022 points standings race. So Danielle worked it all up & here is where you currently sit. Don’t forget the top three at the end of the year are competing to win the Kayak from our sponsors at Journey Outdoors at our championship.

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE POINTS STANDINGS
 

MLF Toyota Series Western Division Finale Set for California Delta

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MLF Toyota Series Western Division Finale Set for California Delta

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (May 24, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, is set to return to California for a tournament next week, June 1-3 – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the California Delta at Russo’s Marina in Bethel Island The three-day bass fishing tournament is the third and final event of the regular season for the Toyota Series Western Division.

The tournament will showcase a field of the west’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize package of up to $75,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor, in the co-angler division, and valuable points to qualify for November’s 2022 Toyota Series Championship.

“Man, I love fishing the Delta – it is my home away from home,” said pro Tai Au of Glendale, Arizona, who has four top-10 finishes on the California Delta in MLF competition. “It’s crazy, but you can literally win the tournament anywhere at the Delta. All the way from north to south, you basically just have to find an area that has good grass and good water quality and then run into those right bite windows to sack up a monster bag.

“I think it’s going to be hard to consistently catch those bigger bags, but I think the winner will have something like a high 20-pound limit, followed up by a few bags close to 20 pounds. My prediction is that it will take 63 to 64 pounds to win.”

Au said that he expects there will still be some late straggler bass that are still spawning during the event, but that competitors would be able to catch fish on a variety of baits and tactics.

“The weather is definitely the most important factor. The fish there are really, really affected by cold fronts and pressure systems – they like stable water,” Au said.  “I think we’re going to see a ton of different tactics in play. Buzzbaits, frogs, flipping and punching. I’ll have a (Z-Man) Jack Hammer in my hand with a (Yamamoto) Zako trailer, and a 6- or 7-inch (Yamamoto) Senko . Topwater baits are going to be important looking for those big kicker bites. Believe it or not, a drop-shot rig can catch some big ones there. It’s going to be wide open, and a lot of fun.”

With just one event remaining in the Toyota Series Southern Division regular season, pro Kyle Grover of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, leads the Western Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 517 points, while Zack Eggleston of Goleta, California, leads the Western Division Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 508 points. The AOY in the Pro Division will receive $5,000 and the winning Strike King Co-angler will receive $2,000.

Anglers will launch each day at 6 a.m. PT from Russo’s Marina, located at 3995 Willow Road in Bethel Island. Weigh-ins will also be held at Russo’s Marina, beginning at 2 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.

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.

About Major League Fishing

Ratcliff’s Lee Tops Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Dardanelle

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Ratcliff’s Lee Tops Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Dardanelle
Boater Brandon Lee of Ratcliff, Arkansas and Strike-King co-angler Steven Logan of Hugo, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s Logan Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Brandon Lee of Ratcliff, Arkansas, caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Dardanelle . The tournament, hosted by Russellville Advertising and Promotion, was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division. Lee earned $4,584 for his victory.

“I started the morning fishing a shad spawn using a Dart Frog-colored BOOYAH Pad Crasher (Frog) in the mid-lake area near Piney Bay,” Lee said. “I was fishing shallow; I never even turned a graph on all day.”

Later in the day Lee, who notched a BFL win at Lake Dardanelle in 2014, said he employed the use of a white ½-ounce BOOYAH Mobster Swimjig with a white YUM Craw Chunk trailer around reeds in less than 2 feet of water. Lee’s efforts resulted in nine keepers during competition.

“I knew I had a shot at winning around noon when I made my last cull,” Lee said. “I had all 3-pounders at that point and one that was 4½, but I figured it would take 18 pounds to win it. I knew I was close.

“This win is awesome,” Lee added. “They are so hard to come by. I was in the first flight, so I had to sit there for two hours after I weighed in and watch everyone weigh in. My nerves were shot at the end of the day.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Brandon Lee, Ratcliff, Ark., five bass, 17-7, $4,584
2nd:        Kirk Smith, Edmond, Okla., five bass, 15-9, $2,292
3rd:        Shonn Goodwin, Moore, Okla., five bass, 15-0, $1,729
4th:         James Boyett, Mountain Home, Ark., four bass, 14-14, $1,070
5th:         Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 14-12, $1,592
6th:         Chris Huselton, Conway, Ark., five bass, 13-2, $840
7th:         Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 12-13, $1,464 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8th:         Aubrey Walker, Ola, Ark., four bass, 12-6, $688
9th:         Mike Scoggins, Danville, Ark., five bass, 12-3, $573
9th:         Doug Thompson, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 12-3, $573
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Ross caught a largemouth weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $675.

Steven Logan of Hugo, Oklahoma, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,592 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:          Steven Logan, Hugo, Okla., five bass, 12-15, $2,592
2nd:        Chuck Harney, Perryville, Ark., four bass, 12-11, $1,146
3rd:        Dusty Rhoades, Gravelly, Ark., three bass, 11-4, $765
4th:         Derrick Damon, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 11-0, $535
5th:         Kyle Huneycutt, Malvern, Ark., four bass, 9-11, $458
6th:         Alvin Williams, Hartman, Ark., four bass, 8-14, $420
7th:         Andrew Wooley, Little Rock, Ark., three bass, 8-11, $382
8th:         Joshua James, Talihina, Okla., four bass, 8-4, $344
9th:         Steve Boone, Mountain Pine, Ark., four bass, 7-12, $306
10th:      Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., four bass, 7-8, $267
Larry Carter of Little Rock, Arkansas, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $337.

After four events, Kevin Brown of Hot Springs, Arkansas, leads the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 967 points, while Andrew Wooley of Little Rock, Arkansas, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 943 points.

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

The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

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

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

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

South Carolina’s Anders Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Clarks Hill Lake

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South Carolina’s Anders Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Clarks Hill Lake
Boater Joe Anders of Easley, South Carolina and Strike-King co-angler James Akins of Cumming, Georgia.
Cumming’s Akins Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

APPLING, Ga. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Joe Anders of Easley, South Carolina, caught five bass Saturday weighing 19 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Clarks Hill Lake . The tournament, hosted by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners, was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division. Anders earned $11,117, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

“I had a good practice Friday,” said Anders, who notched the second BFL win of his MLF career. “I located some bigger fish shallow that were cruising on flats, and I told my fishing partner that I could win if I could get one of those fish to bite.

“I had found two or three places that I could catch the quality of fish that everyone else was catching fairly easily,” Anders continued. “I caught basically what the top 5 caught in the first hour of fishing. And then I caught my second kicker fish about 1:15.”

Anders said he targeted larger bass on flats around flooded trees in less than 2 feet of water with a Manley Custom Tackle Buzz Toad paired with an Undertaker Bait Company bluegill-colored fluke bait. He said he also relied on a Megabass Magdraft swimbait and a bluegill-colored Texas-rig. He added he caught topwater fish on an Evergreen JT 95 Topwater Walking Bait .

“I was due for this win,” Anders said. “I’ve had some decent finishes at Clarks Hill before. There have been tournaments I felt I should have won, but I’ve had some mishaps – losing fish or equipment malfunctions – that cost me the win. But it wound up right this time. When it’s your time to win, it’s your time. I certainly don’t take these wins for granted, because I know how hard they are to get.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., five bass, 19-12, $11,117 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:        Jason Burroughs, Hodges, S.C., five bass, 17-13, $2,358
3rd:        Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 16-11, $1,307
4th:         Kyle Ricker, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 16-10, $914
5th:         Todd Pearson, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 16-4, $783
6th:         Sterling Banks, Beech Island, S.C., five bass, 16-2, $718
7th:         Justin Hadden, Warrenville, S.C., five bass, 15-5, $653
8th:         Garrett Guinan, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 15-2, $588
9th:         Cole Pearson, five bass, 14-14, $522
10th:      D.J. Hadden, Appling, Ga., five bass, 14-12, $457
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Brad Benfield of Demorest, Georgia, caught a largemouth weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $520.

James Akins of Cumming, Georgia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $1,958 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:          James Akins, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 14-13, $1,958
2nd:        Darren Jeter, Candler, N.C., five bass, 13-3, $979
3rd:        Jody Hughes, Baldwin, Ga., five bass, 10-7, $653
4th:         Johnny Hancox, West Union, S.C., three bass, 10-6, $784
4th:         Corey Veal, Royston, Ga., five bass, 10-6, $424
6th:         Dwayne Parton, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 9-13, $359
7th:         Joseph Scarlett, Columbia, S.C., five bass, 9-11, $326
8th:         Darryl Huntsinger, Canon, Ga., five bass, 9-10, $294
9th:         Joey Alexander, Salem, S.C., five bass, 9-6, $244
9th:         Kyle Davis, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 9-6, $244
Hancox caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $260.

After four events, Jason Burroughs of Hodges, South Carolina, leads the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 993 points, while Johnny Hancox of West Union, South Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 956 points.

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

The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

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

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

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

McKee’s Akemon Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Cumberland

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McKee’s Akemon Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Cumberland
Boater Jason Akemon of McKee, Kentucky and Strike-King co-angler Caleb Chambers of Elizabethton, Tennessee.
Tennessee’s Chambers Bests Strike King Co-Angler Division Field

MONTICELLO, Ky. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Jason Akemon of McKee, Kentucky, caught five bass Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Cumberland . The tournament was the third event for the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division. Akemon earned $5,550 for his victory.

“I went looking for post-spawn largemouth that might be up feeding on shad, but I didn’t find any,” Akemon said. “What I did find was fish on the inside edge of the short pockets on the main lake. If there was mud with big chunk rock, there were smallmouth there. They were stacked up in 10 to 15 feet just sitting there.”

Akemon said he targeted the smallmouth with a Keitech 3.3-inch Swing Impact FAT Swimbait with a ¼-ounce head. He noted they bit well until the sun came out, then shied away. Akemon said he then shifted to a Carolina rig with a Zoom Super Speed Craw to catch his bass. He said he caught 15 fish during the course of the tournament, 10 of which were keepers.

“I had a limit by 10 o’clock and then just started upgrading,” Akemon said. “I won the BFL event on Lake Cumberland in 2018 by sight fishing, which is my strength. But I wanted to win it again.

“A lot of the places I caught fish were places I had been night fishing with my mentor years ago when he was teaching me to fish,” Akemon added. “So this win was pretty sentimental to me.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Jason Akemon, McKee, Ky., five bass, 16-6, $5,550
2nd:        Chip Chambers, Elizabethton, Tenn., five bass, 13-15, $2,615
3rd:        Eldon Newcomb, Mt. Vernon, Ky., five bass, 13-14, $1,609
4th:         Clay Reece, Lexington, Ky., five bass, 13-6, $1,127
5th:         Taylor Stumbo, Prestonburg, Ky., five bass, 13-4, $966
6th:         Jeff Carman, Liberty, Ky., five bass, 12-7, $804
6th:         Michael Morrison, Stamping Ground, Ky., five bass, 12-7, $804
6th:         Ryan White, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 12-7, $1,104
9th:         Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.V., five bass, 11-10, $1,144 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
10th:      Bailey Gay, Union, Ky., five bass, 11-8, $563
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Akemon caught a bass weighing 3 pounds, 15 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – earning him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $720.

Caleb Chambers of Elizabethton, Tennessee, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,515 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 10 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:          Caleb Chambers, Elizabethton, Tenn., five bass, 13-10, $2,515
2nd:        Ralph Feldman, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 10-4, $1,207
3rd:        James Wheatley, Coxs Creek, Ky., four bass, 10-3, $806
4th:         Tobie Ummel, Leitchfield, Ky., three bass, 8-13, $523
4th:         Joe Harmeyer, Greensburg, Ind., four bass, 8-13, $523
6th:         Lenny Bays, Dayton, Ky., five bass, 8-11, $443
7th:         Todd Stopher, London, Ky., four bass, 7-12, $402
8th:         Andrew Adams, Science Hill, Ky., three bass, 7-11, $362
9th:         Bryan Whittaker, Richmond, Ky., four bass, 7-9, $302
9th:         Levi Allgeier, Bardstown, Ky., four bass, 7-9, $302
Barry King of Liberty, Kentucky, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 8 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $360.

After three events, Tristan Abbott of Somerset, Kentucky, leads the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 725 points, while Todd Stopher of London, Kentucky, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 710 points.

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

The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

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

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

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