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EARLY SPRING STICK BAIT TECHNIQUES! By Fresh Baitz
Major League Fishing Set to Premiere General Tire Team Invitational Pilot Saturday on Outdoor Channel
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TULSA, Okla. (March 29, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the premiere date and time for a new concept that is being piloted for next season – the MLF General Tire Team Invitational, which will premiere this Saturday, April 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. ET on Outdoor Channel. The pilot was shot in mid-December on Florida’s Garcia Reservoir.
The General Tire Team Invitational will feature nine MLF Cup anglers, including REDCREST 2022 Champion Bobby Lane, competing as three, three-man teams. The anglers on each team will wear headsets that have them in constant communication with their teammates. This concept allows each team to work together and strategize in real-time on the water, shifting baits, techniques, patterns or areas as needed and creating a new type of excitement and drama.
A preview of the General Tire Team Series pilot that will air Saturday on Outdoor Channel can be found on Major League Fishing’s YouTube page.
“We look forward to watching how this team concept plays out in real-time on Saturday and seeing the response on the episode from our avid MLF Cup event viewership audience,” said Jim Wilburn, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “We were thrilled that our longtime partnership with General Tire has allowed us to explore a new tournament concept that we believe will excite both our fans and anglers alike.”
The three teams that will compete in Saturday’s General Tire Team Invitational on Outdoor Channel are:
Team Ferguson:
*Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla.
Chris Lane of Guntersville, Ala.
Team Sqwincher:
Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif.
Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn.
*Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.
Team Lucas Oil:
Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C.
*Mark Rose of Wynne, Ark.
Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C.
*denotes Team Captain
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .
About Major League Fishing
Bass Pro Shops Grows Partnership With Bassmaster Tournament Trail
March 29, 2022
Bass Pro Shops Grows Partnership With Bassmaster Tournament Trail
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Longtime B.A.S.S. partner Bass Pro Shops will expand its sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail for 2022, officials announced today. As part of a new multiyear agreement, Bass Pro Shops has stepped up to be a premier sponsor for the B.A.S.S. Tournament Trail, including the Bassmaster Elite Series and the iconic Bassmaster Classic, has taken over title sponsorship of the Bassmaster Team Championship and will continue as presenting sponsor of the Bassmaster College Series.
“For decades, B.A.S.S. and Bass Pro Shops have shared a vision to get more people on the water and fishing, and we deeply appreciate their continued partnership as they elevate their sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trails to the premier level,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Their sponsorship and support for both college anglers and for team trail and grass-roots anglers from across the country are invaluable.”
B.A.S.S. will participate in the World’s Fishing Fair March 30-April 3, 2022 at the Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Mo. The event is set to feature a host of deals, an all-star lineup of country music stars, fishing pros, NASCAR legends, outdoor personalities and national conservation leaders, and 50% of proceeds will be given back to conservation.
“As a young angler, fishing in the first national B.A.S.S. tournament on Table Rock Lake served as my inspiration for starting Bass Pro Shops,” said Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Bass Pro Shops. “Now, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bass Pro Shops this year, our expanded partnership brings it full circle. We’re excited to work alongside our friends at B.A.S.S. to further elevate the sport of fishing, connect folks to nature and invest in conservation.”
Bass Pro Shops is renowned for their prolific support of grass-roots anglers, and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship offers a path to the Bassmaster Classic for one amateur competitor. Founded in 2014, the Team Championship starts with the same simple concept as most team events around the country. Two friends fish for two days out of the same boat for bass that will go in the same livewell. The team with the heaviest total weight wins the national team championship. The six anglers from the Top 3 teams are sent back onto the lake for a two-day solo competition, which pits partners against partners as well as anglers from the other teams. The winning individual earns a berth in the Classic.
The Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops is off to a record-breaking start through two events. Brothers Lafe and Matt Messer of Kentucky Christian University won the Bassmaster College Series at Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day total of 61 pounds, 13 ounces. The Messers’ Day 2 weight of 36-7 broke the College Series single-day record. Their winning weight also broke the Series’ two-day catch record.
College Series events have been an incredible tool for encouraging youth fishing participation across the country, and they’re beginning to have a pronounced effect on the highest levels of professional bass fishing. Since B.A.S.S. started the circuit in 2013, there has been a 97% growth in the number of participating schools and clubs at the college level.
Under the agreement, Bass Pro Shops joins sister brands Nitro and Ranger as a premier sponsor of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and the Bassmaster Classic through 2024. Triton, another sister brand, has partnered with B.A.S.S. as a supporting sponsor.
As a Series and Tournament Trail sponsor, Bass Pro Shops will be featured in B.A.S.S.’s industry-leading publications Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines as well as on social media. During Bassmaster LIVE, which airs on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports platforms — as well as across the magazines and social media — fans can watch for “Top Lures presented by Bass Pro Shops.” This special segment will focus on what baits the pros are using and what will work best for upcoming events.
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Mossy Oak Fishing, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
Lowrance Pro Angler Bobby Lane Claims Victory At MLF REDCREST 2022
Lowrance Pro Angler Bobby Lane
Claims Victory At MLF REDCREST 2022
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Nine of the top 10 finishers of the tournament used Lowrance electronics
Tulsa, Okla. – Lowrance®, a world-leader in fishing electronics since 1957, is pleased to congratulate Lowrance Pro angler Bobby Lane on his victory at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2022 tournament on Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees in Tulsa, Oklahoma, March 23-27.
The Lakeland, Florida native dominated the competition with a 29-pound, 14-ounce haul in the Championship round to bring home the $300,000 prize. Lane was equipped with the Lowrance Ultimate Fishing System™, including HDS LIVE 12 displays, ActiveTarget® Live Sonar, Active Imaging™ 3-in-1 and Ghost® Trolling Motor. Additionally, nine of the top 10 finishers used Lowrance electronics and seven were exclusive Lowrance Pro team members.
“It’s been all about Lowrance for me this week. The C-MAP® charts on my units are phenomenal, I was able to zoom in and see where the channel swings were in the backs of the creaks,” said Lane. “Lowrance and C-MAP made it so easy for a Florida guy like me to catch pre-spawned bass on Grand Lake.”
In addition to this significant achievement, Lane has had a noteworthy career with a Major League Fishing World Championship, MLF Cup titles, and a Bassmaster Elite Series win.
For more information on Lowrance and its tournament-winning fishfinding technology, please visit www.lowrance.com.
“Big Fish” Bobby Lane Wins REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa Sunglasses on Grand Lake
Lakeland, Florida Pro Boats 2-Pounder in Final Minutes to Win REDCREST and Earn $300,000 Top Prize
TULSA, Okla. (March 27, 2022) – In the most exciting and dramatic finish in Major League Fishing (MLF) history, Lakeland, Florida pro “Big Fish” Bobby Lane caught a 2-pound bass with just four minutes left in competition to win REDCREST 2022 presented by Costa Sunglasses, the Bass Pro Tour championship, on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees and earn the $300,000 top prize.
Link to Hi-Res Photo of REDCREST 2022 Champion Bobby Lane
Link to Video of Fish Catch Highlights from Championship Sunday on Grand Lake
Link to Video of Bobby Lane Winning Moment (54:40-56:45)
With just over four minutes left in competition Sunday the reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY), Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, looked to be cruising to his first career MLF REDCREST Championship victory. Wheeler had weighed eight scorable bass totaling 28 pounds, 4 ounces and was atop the leaderboard as the time ticked down.
That’s when things got exciting.
REDCREST 2022 on Grand Lake featured anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable.
With almost exactly four minutes left, Lane hooked into a bass throwing a Berkley Frittside 5 crankbait and boat flipped the Grand Lake largemouth into the boat. Lane’s official quickly got the bass on the scale, and Lane gasped when he saw that the scale read 1-pound, 15-ounces.
“No way, no way. We’ve got to re-weigh her,” Lane said.
Bass Pro Tour rules state that an angler is allowed to ask for a re-weigh of any fish they catch, up to a maximum of two times.
The official got the bass back on to the scale and once again, it read – 1-pound, 15-ounces.
Lane grunted and shook his head. This was it. His final opportunity to re-weigh his fish. His entire tournament, and so much more, was coming down to this moment. Only 2 minutes and 38 seconds now remained. He nodded at his official and placed the bass back onto the scale.
This time, the numbers “2.0” flashed on the scale screen – the bass was scorable – and Lane and the packed house at the SageNet Center at Expo Square in Tulsa exploded.
“Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Unbelievable. I’ve been at this a long time, and I have never been hungrier for something good to happen. Madeline, I love you. Kids… your dad is the REDCREST Champion!” roared an elated Lane shortly after time expired and his win was confirmed.
During the week, Lane quietly had success during each day of competition. He finished Day 1 of the event with a sixth-place standing after catching eight bass for 26-12, then added another four weighing 9-9 the next day to advance to the Knockout Round inside the top 20. In the Knockout Round, Lane tallied 27-13 on nine fish to make it to Championship Sunday.
He relied on a Berkley Frittside 5 in the HD brown color all week, focusing on the last rock structure in the backs of pockets as bass moved their way towards spawning grounds. That’s what got him to the final day, but pitching a jig is what won it for him.
“The fish made a transition late this afternoon and got super shallow,” he said. “I knew that and made every single one count and started flipping a green pumpkin jig with a matching Berkley PowerBait Meaty Chunk in the smaller size and added some chartreuse dye to the tips of the trailer.”
Lane caught two bass early on the crankbait, and just after noon he caught his first bass on a jig and went to work with it from there. Included in his catch was the Berkley Big Bass of the day, a 6-3 that he landed in dramatic fashion over and through several dock cables.
“I had a 3-11 and 6-3 within three minutes,” Lane said. “The big one had me between cables and there was no physical way to get it, and I had to hand line it in. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
After having some time to reflect on his win during the ride to the REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo Presented by Costa in Tulsa, Lane was emotional when meeting up with his family and brother and fellow pro Chris Lane and said that it felt like someone had lifted a weight off of his shoulders.
“I’m not getting any younger, I promise,” he said. “But today I felt like a 10-year-old winging my bait around and to finally come through to win – it’s just unbelievable. Everything went perfect today.”
The top 10 pros at REDCREST 2022 on Grand Lake finished:
1st: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 10 bass, 29-14, $300,000
2nd: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., eight bass, 28-11, $50,000
3rd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., eight bass, 28-4, $40,000
4th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 25-14, $28,000
5th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., six bass, 24-2, $25,000
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., eight bass, 21-9, $20,000
7th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., four bass, 16-13, $18,000
8th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., six bass, 16-12, $16,000
9th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., six bass, 15-5, $14,500
10th: Michael Neal, Dayton Tenn., five bass, 12-5, $12,500
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall on Sunday there were 71 scorable bass weighing 219 pounds, 9 ounces caught by the final 10 pros. Throughout the entire five-day event, the 41 Bass Pro Tour competitors caught a total of 390 bass weighing 1,181 pounds, 9 ounces.
Lane also earned Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with his 6-3 largemouth that he caught in Period 3. Wheeler earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Bonus for weighing in the heaviest bass of the event – a 6-pound, 10-ounce largemouth that he caught on the very first day of competition.
REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees featured anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
Television coverage of REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, July 2 and July 9 on the Discovery Channel. A one-hour special episode of MLF REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa will premiere at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, July 17 on CBS. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa was hosted by Tulsa Regional Tourism and showcased the top 41 professional bass-fishing anglers from the 2021 Bass Pro Tour competing for a total purse of $730,000.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Terry Hedrick & Jonathan East Win HillCity Bassmaster on SML March 26th 2022
We had a great turnout for our first tournament of the 2022 season 14 teams fished with us. Yesterday was definitely a tough day to be on the water! Rain, snow, wind and 23 fish caught!
First Place: Terry Hedrick and Jonathan East with 5 fish and 12.59lbs
Second Place: Ethan Croft and Zachary Miller with 5 fish and 12.22lbs
Third Place: Steve and Emma Mozingo with 4 fish and 11.72lbs
We appreciate you all for coming out yesterday and look forward to our next tournament at Leesville Lake, Saturday, April 9; blast off at 7 am!
*Classic Update: if you fished 3/26 with us, whether you caught fish or not, you only have 3 more of our tournaments to fish to be entered into the classic in October. Remember, we are not on a point system this year and the winner from the classic will win the SidePot! We had 14 boats yesterday and have collected $70 so far, for the SidePot! We are excited to watch this Pot grow as the season progresses!
Justin Largin Wins the Bass Cast Kayak Bass series on SML with 74.75″
Can you say what a weekend on Smith Mountain lake for the 1st event on Bass Cast Kayak Bass series, the weather went from wind to rain to Snow. But the weather did not stop over half the anglers from weighing in a Bass. We would like to thank all the anglers for braving the weather as well as welcome to anglers to the Bass Cast Kayak series. Congratulations again to everyone that cashed & check & to our overall winner Justin Largin with 74.75″.
Click the image to see Full Results & fish Photos
Chad Green & Johnny Martin Win Castaway Anglers Open on SML
Castaway anglers had there first tournament today. It was a very rough day but the fish seemed to be biting very well. First place with just shy of 25 pounds and 7.60 kicker for big fish was Green/ Martin. Second place was Kluender/Wyatt and third place was Crist/Stump.
Bally Bet Awards $50K to Former MLF Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year Winners Edwin Evers, Jordan Lee and Jacob Wheeler
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TULSA, Okla. (March 27, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and its Angler of the Year (AOY) sponsor Bally Bet announced Friday at REDCREST 2022 that former MLF Bass Pro Tour AOY award winners Edwin Evers (2019), Jordan Lee (2020), and Jacob Wheeler (2021) all will receive a check for $50,000 as an award for their prestigious AOY victories in previous seasons of the Bass Pro Tour.
Online sportsbook operator Bally Bet became the title sponsor of the coveted Bass Pro Tour AOY award in late December. After learning that the AOY Award had lacked a title sponsor for its first three seasons, Bally Bet agreed to allocate portions of its presenting sponsorship fees to reward each of the former AOY winners with a $50,000 prize.
“We are proud of our sponsorship with Major League Fishing and are thrilled to reward these former Bass Pro Tour AOY winners with these well-deserved $50,000 prizes,” said Adi Dhandhania, Chief Operating Officer of North America for Bally’s Interactive, the online sportsbook operator’s parent company. “The Bass Pro Tour is a showcase of the best anglers on the planet, and we are proud to associate our brand with the award that many consider to be one of the most difficult prizes in the sport to win. Congratulations to all of the former Bally Bet AOY champions, and we look forward to watching who will take home the $100,000 top prize for the AOY in 2022.”
“Bally Bet is already proving to be an amazing partner and we thank them for their contributions to our former Bally Bet AOY winners,” said Jim Wilburn. “This relationship is already proving to be mutually beneficial, and we look forward to building on these successes in the years to come.”
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for valuable points in the Bally Bet AOY race. The top angler at the end of the 2022 season will receive a $100,000 payout from the online sportsbook.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Jordan Lee Cruises in Knockout Round at REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa Sunglasses on Grand Lake
Final 10 Anglers now Set for Sunday’s Final-Day Shootout for $300,000 Top Prize
TULSA, Okla. (March 26, 2022) – Berkley pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, caught 11 scorable bass weighing 33 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Knockout Round (Group B) on Day 4 of the Major League Fishing (MLF) REDCREST 2022 presented by Costa Sunglasses, the Bass Pro Tour championship, on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
Joining Lee in Sunday’s Championship Round of competition in the top five are pros Michael Neal of Dayton, Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Florida, and Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee. The five-day event, hosted by Tulsa Regional Tourism, features anglers competing for a total purse of $730,000, including a top cash prize of $300,000 to the winner.
Link to Hi-Res Photo of Knockout Round Group B Winner Jordan Lee
Link to Photo Gallery of Highlights from Day 4 on Grand Lake
Link to Video of Fish-Catch Highlights from Day 4 on Grand Lake
“I’m feeling really good about the day and was super happy to have a good morning bite,” Lee said. “I was able to catch them in the same places as the other day, doing the same thing.”
Lee has been catching fish with various jerkbaits while watching his forward-facing sonar but did find a shallower bite late in the day.
“I used five or six different jerkbaits and my Lowrance ActiveTarget was key,” he said. “I don’t have unlimited spots, but everywhere I thought I could catch them today, I did. I eased up shallow later in the day and caught some on a jig and that was more fun than anything, but I don’t think I’ll be able to catch enough doing that to win.”
Tennessee pro Michael Neal ended the day with 12 for 31-9 but likely could have caught much more. After feeling that he had caught enough to safely advance, he left his main area and searched for more water.
“I laid off those fish about 30 minutes into the second period,” Neal said. “The winning fish are there and the only questions are if they will stay and if they cooperate tomorrow. I’ll be around the fish to win; I just don’t know what I’ll have to catch since I don’t know if everyone else let off their fish.”
Reigning REDCREST Champion Dustin Connell was the third angler with over 30 pounds on the day, with 10 for 31-5. He did it in the way he loves to fish, with a jerkbait and Lowrance ActiveTarget.
“It was a good day, and I caught them my favorite way,” Connell said. “I got a little pattern going but feel like I’m going to have to run new water if I have a chance to win. I have some places, but I don’t think it’s enough to beat these guys with what I have now.”
Connell is going all-in on the jerkbait tomorrow.
“I may crank a little in the morning, but I’ll have four jerkbait rods on the deck for the rest of the day,” he said.
The top five pros from Group B that made the cut and will advance to Championship Sunday on Grand Lake are:
1st: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 11 bass, 33-2
2nd: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 31-9
3rd: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 31-5
4th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., nine bass, 27-13
5th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., seven bass, 26-11
The five pros eliminated from competition Saturday are:
6th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., eight bass, 21-8, $10,000
7th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., two bass, 5-13, $10,000
8th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., two bass, 4-9, $10,000
9th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., one bass, 4-2, $10,000
10th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., zero bass, 0-0, $10,000
Full results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 44 scorable bass weighing 186 pounds, 2 ounces caught by nine pros Saturday.
At REDCREST 2022, the full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event. The field was cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total cumulative weight. The remaining 20 anglers were split into two groups for the Knockout Round – 10 (Group A) competed on Day 3 (Friday) and 10 (Group B) will compete on Day 4 (Saturday). The top five anglers from each group based on total single-day weight now advance to the Championship Sunday, where weights are zeroed and the angler that catches the highest total weight Sunday will be crowned the REDCREST 2022 champion and earn the top prize of $300,000.
Wheeler weighed a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass in Period 3 to earn Saturday’s Berkley Big Bass Award and earn the $1,000 prize. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $1,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The General Tire Take Off Ceremony will take place Sunday at 6:45 a.m. at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility, located at 963 N. 16th St. in Grove, Oklahoma. The final 10 anglers will depart at 7:30 a.m. from the park and return after competition ends at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country. The top 41 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the seven events qualified to compete in REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all five days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, July 2 and July 9 on the Discovery Channel. A one-hour special episode of MLF REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa will premiere at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, July 17 on CBS. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.