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Kentucky’s Bradley Roy Earns First Career MLF Bass Pro Tour Win at B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole

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Covercraft Pro Weighs in 26 Pounds, 2 Ounces to Earn First Win and $100,000, For Second Consecutive Day, Howell Weighs Heaviest Bass in Bass Pro Tour History with a 12-14

MONROE-WEST MONROE, La. (Feb. 10, 2022) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole in Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana, won’t necessarily be remembered for the number of fish caught, but it will go down in the history books for the size of the fish caught.

Link to Photo Gallery of Highlights from Final 10 Anglers on Championship Day
Link to Video of Bass Pro Tour Stage One, Championship Round

In an incredible day of fishing on Bussey Brake, the final 10 Bass Pro Tour anglers caught 31 scorable bass weighing 163 pounds, 2 ounces – an average weight of 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch included three 7-pounders, one 8-pounder, two 9-pounders and one 12-pounder, a remarkable day that had the professional bass fishing world buzzing.

After the final fish had hit the SCORETRACKER™ leaderboard Thursday evening, it was Covercraft pro Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Kentucky, whose name remained at the top. Roy weighed in five bass totaling 26 pounds, 2 ounces, enough to hold off a hard-charging Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas, by a 1-pound, 3-ounce margin.

“Man, this has been a long time coming. God gets all the glory for this one, because I tried every way in the world to mess this one up,” Roy said in his post-game interview. “The third period for me was miserable. I just felt like I was taking blow after blow. Randy (Howell) catches a 12. Jordan Lee was coming – I knew he wouldn’t quit. Then Alton (Jones) – I could see him. I could see (Bryan) Thrift. They were all catching them, and I couldn’t get a bite.

“SCORETRACKER is bad when you’re around the cut, but it was another level this afternoon,” Roy continued. “I just kept looking down at the clock and listening to my official. Every time he’d clear his throat and get ready to speak again my heart would just drop. I’m just so grateful that I had enough weight. To come out on top is pretty special.”

Roy spent the day flipping bushes and isolated pieces of structure with a beaver-style bait, using a 7-foot, 6-inch Ark Essence Series flipping stick with a 7:1 gear ratio reel, spooled with 22-pound Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon line and a 3/8-ounce Ark tungsten weight.

“I think the baby pattern must be the deal,” Roy said, of his new son Lucas who was just born in August. “Everyone always says – you have a new baby, and you win a tournament. Well, we just had Lucas, and now I win. I think there might be something to that.”

For the second consecutive day, pro Randy Howell of Guntersville, Alabama, broke the Bass Pro Tour record for heaviest bass ever weighed in during competition. After earning Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award for his then record-setting 10-pound, 14-ounce giant from Caney Creek, Howell backed it up on Thursday with a new record-setting 12-pound, 11-ounce lunker – a new Bass Pro Tour record and a new lake record for Bussey Brake. Howell also won Thursday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award and earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the overall largest bass of the event.

“Overall, I didn’t catch many bass this week, but I made it all the way to sixth place,” Howell said. “It just goes to show you that one flip, one cast can change your whole life. Never give up, fish to the last minute and good things will happen.

“I never really found what I know this lake is capable of, but we ended up a lot better than how we started today,” Howell continued. “Towards the end of the day I was flipping the old (Yamamoto) Senko – and the big one bit. It was a black and blue Senko, with a red Bass Pro XPS tungsten weight – I think the red gives it a little flash – and I threw it on a 7-foot, 6-inch Daiwa Ish Monroe Flipping Stick with a 8:1 Daiwa Tatula reel and 22-pound Daiwa Fluorocarbon line.”

The top 10 pros at the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole finished:

1st:          Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 26-2, $100,000
2nd:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, five bass, 24-15, $45,000
3rd:         Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 24-9, $38,000
4th:         Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., four bass, 23-15, $32,000
5th:         Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, four bass, 18-13, $30,000
6th:         Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., two bass, 16-3, $26,000
7th:         Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., three bass, 13-6, $23,000
8th:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., two bass, 11-4, $28,000
9th:         Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, one bass, 3-15, $19,000
10th:       Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., zero bass, $16,000

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

The B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole featured anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement on Lake D’Arbonne, and a 2-pound minimum weight requirement on Caney Creek and Bussey Brake 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 B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole, hosted by Discover Monroe-West Monroe, showcased 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing over six days for a total purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 3 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.

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

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

Crews Leverages Two-Stage Strategy To Lead Bassmaster Elite On St. Johns

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Crews Leverages Two-Stage Strategy To Lead Bassmaster Elite On St. Johns
John Crews of Salem, Va., is leading after Day 1 of the 2022 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with 28 pounds.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

February 10, 2022

Crews Leverages Two-Stage Strategy To Lead Bassmaster Elite On St. Johns

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PALATKA, Fla. — Looking past current conditions and considering the forthcoming weather patterns, John Crews of Salem, Va., employed a two-stage strategy and sacked up a Day 1 limit of 28 pounds to lead the season-opening AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.

Leading Bob Downey of Hudson, Wis., by 12 ounces, Crews also sits atop the VMC Monster Bag standings for the event’s heaviest limit.

Following the miserably rainy, cold conditions that plagued practice, Day 1 dawned clear and bright. It was definitely a postfrontal, high-pressure scenario, but air temperatures quickly rose and spurred the fish.

“At the beginning of practice, I was practicing for these conditions, so it made me look really smart, like I made a good decision,” Crews said. “Hopefully, it will hold up. I think we’ll have the same weather tomorrow.”

Running upriver from Palatka, Crews started his day in Rodman Reservoir. While 22 other boats passed through the Buckman Lock with him, Crews said he never felt cramped or crowded. Covering a 2-mile area, he had to hit several spots to secure a limit.

“There was no aggregation of boats; there were three or four boats in sight of where I was at, but nobody was on top of anybody,” Crews said. “I don’t think anything is that good — at least I didn’t find it.

“It was one here, one there, one here. Then, at the end of the day, it was like, ‘You smoked them.’ But it wasn’t like that.”

Anchoring his bag with an 8-1, Crews said he used multiple techniques in Rodman and combined moving baits with slower presentations.

“I used these baits in relationship to similar places,” he said. “All the places I fished in Rodman were similar. I think I can go back tomorrow and catch some more fish, but catching big fish like that — I don’t know.”

Around 1 p.m., Crews locked out of Rodman. While he waited, he spoke with the Bassmaster LIVE crew and told them his plan was to return to the St. Johns and look for another big bite. He checked that box around 2:45 by relocating to a familiar spot and adding a 4 1/2-pounder.

“I had some things in mind; I tried some offshore stuff and I tried some other shallow stuff,” Crews said. “It’s an area where I’ve caught some in the past. I caught a 2 1/4-pounder and then I caught that 4 1/2 and then I left. It’s one of those places where you can usually catch one or two, but I’ve never caught a limit there.”

As Crews explained, his decision to leave Rodman was based on factors beyond his control.

“With (Rodman), you have to lock when you can lock (based on the predetermined schedule),” he said. “I thought, ‘When I come back to the river, maybe I can get another bite or two, and maybe it will help me at some point.’ It helped me today.”

Overcoming an early mechanical issue, Downey placed second with 27-4. He would eventually leave the water around 11:30 a.m. to have the service crew address the issues, but not before reaching his planned destination south of Palatka.

“I limped down to my area and had all my weight by 10 o’clock,” Downey said. “I caught a good fish in that area in practice and I think the weather conditions set up right — the cold last night just sucked them into this area. I only caught five fish today.

“I would have loved to have gone and practiced elsewhere today; I had some stuff south of Lake George and I would have loved to run some canals later today just to see if I could find a bigger one, but I didn’t do that because I didn’t know if I could get back or not.”

Downey caught his fish in what he described as a backwater creek. He caught his fish off the bank and used his Humminbird 360 to locate key areas. Winding a reaction bait produced all of his fish.

Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., is in third place with 22 pounds. Starting with a solid game plan, Blaylock realized the situation was not going to produce, so he made a wholesale change and salvaged his day.

“There are a couple of little places that people keep overlooking and every year that I’ve caught them (well) here, I’ve caught some key fish in those areas and this year was no different,” Blaylock said. “I just happened to catch a couple of really nice ones midday that really helped the cause.

“In my primary stuff, only one place out of all the stuff I’d found in practice had a fish on it. I just got one bite and that was it. Hopefully, there’s enough left in that backup spot to carry me on to a Top 10.”

Blaylock caught his bass on a trio of moving baits. His strategy was to “buzz through” the area to locate active fish that were positioning off the bank in open water.

“I definitely left them biting today,” he said. “But it’s not like you just pull up and just throw at one spot and catch them; you have to work hard to get those bites.”

Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 9-13 largemouth.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. ET from Palatka City Docks. The weigh-in will be held at Palatka Riverfront Park at 3:30 p.m.

After Friday’s weigh-in, the Top 47 remaining anglers will advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.

The tournament is being hosted by the Putnam County Tourist Development Council and Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

2022 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/10-2/13
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

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

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Brandon Cobb             Greenwood, SC       09-13          $1000.00

VMC MONSTER BAG
Day
1   John Crews Jr            Salem, VA           28-00          $0.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        59       393      1045-09
———————————-
59       393      1045-09

Caleb Kuphall Joins St. Croix Pro Team

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Caleb Kuphall Joins St. Croix Pro Team

 

Caleb Kuphall Joins St. Croix Pro Team

Bassmaster Elite angler, Caleb Kuphall, makes it official with the Best Rods on Earth®

PARK FALLS, WISC. (February 10, 2022) – Wisconsin-based tournament angler, Caleb Kuphall, has earned ample acclaim over the past three years. Of the 23 Bassmaster events the Mukwonago, Wisconsin angler has entered, he’s had four top 10s and finished in the money 22 times. He spent just one season fishing the Bassmaster Opens in 2019, winning the 2019 Central Open at Lewis Smith Lake to qualify for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic and finishing second in the Central Division points race to earn a spot in the Bassmaster Elite Series. Last season, in just his second year fishing the Elites, the 38-year-old angler won the Bassmaster Elite tournament at Lake Guntersville.

Bass fishing set its hooks into Kuphall (pronounced Koo-fall) at the age of ten when his family moved into a new home and Caleb gained access to a couple of farm ponds. “I read every bass-fishing article I could get my hands on, watched all the TV shows, and worked in tackle shops as a teenager,” he says. “As soon as I had saved enough money to buy my fist bass boat, I started fishing tournaments. I loved fishing so much that I wanted to surround myself with other anglers, so I started guiding, too. That gave me a lot of time on the water and I learned just as much from the other anglers in my boat as they learned from me.”

Throughout his formative years, one part of Kuphall’s fishing remained consistent. “Living in Wisconsin, I have always used St. Croix rods. The fact that they are handcrafted in my home state has always been really important to me and I’ve been happy to support the local brand,” Kuphall says. “But aside from that local connection, there are no rods on the market I would rather use. They simply make a superior product that helps make me a better and more consistent angler. I recently toured the factory in Park Falls and got to see the operation up close and personal. I was very impressed with what I saw – from how each blank is individually designed and rolled, to the extreme amount of care and pride each set of hands puts into every rod they touch. After using and appreciating St. Croix rods my entire life, I couldn’t be happier to be officially representing the Best Rods on Earth® as a member of their Elite Staff. My success as a tournament angler comes from my dedication to the sport and the time I put in on the water. There’s no substitute for time on the water; perfecting a craft and putting yourself in as many different situations as possible so you come out better than you were yesterday. That’s the same thing St. Croix believes and has done every day for the benefit of anglers for over 70 years now.”

Kuphall strives to be a complete bass angler but admits jig fishing is his number-one confidence presentation. “All styles of jigs, but a flipping jig would be my confidence bait,” he says. “Number two would be heavy flipping, especially in submerged milfoil. I learned to do a lot of this around the house growing up and love every aspect of it.” He says his favorite rods have changed over the years. “The 7′ Avid and Avid X MHFs were my stand-by jig rods for many years. These were incredible rods, but the equivalent Legend X, Victory, and Legend Xtreme versions St. Croix is crafting now are even better, which seems hard to believe at first, but not after you consider we’re talking about St. Croix. They are constantly listening to anglers and giving them new tools to heighten their performance. No matter what you can afford to spend on a rod for a certain presentation, St. Croix has anglers covered.”

Self-described as “super competitive”, Kuphall says his goal is to have a long and consistent career in the Bassmaster Elite Series. “I’ve always played a lot of sports… hockey, baseball, and I still enjoy playing league softball in the summertime… so I guess that’s where it comes from. I always want to beat the next guy, but I also want to be known and viewed as a good person. I’m always there to help if someone needs it, but I also like the thought of being feared on the water.” Kuphall also does a lot of bait tinkering. “I like to design baits and I make a lot of my own jigs, spinnerbaits, heads and pour my own soft plastics, too.”

Kuphall reported Wednesday on social media that pre-fishing conditions in Florida have been challenging, but he was managing some good bites in preparation for the Bassmaster Elite on the St. John’s River, February 10-12.

St. Croix Angler Engagement Coordinator, Savannah Stenlund, says she and the rest of the St. Croix Team couldn’t be happier or more excited to welcome Kuphall to the team. “Caleb has proven himself an extremely talented angler; he’s one of those gritty, versatile northern guys with that Midwestern work ethic who can do well, compete, or even pull out a win almost anywhere,” she says. “But beyond that, he’s also a really likeable and helpful professional who understands the business we’re all in and has proven that he’s willing to help the Team with whatever’s needed.”

“Even though I’ve been at this for a few years now, financing a professional bass fishing career isn’t the easiest thing to do,” Kuphall relates. “I’ve spent money wisely, controlled expenses, and slept in my truck, because that’s what it takes sometimes.  I’m grateful for St. Croix’s support and to B.A.S.S., as well as the support of my other long-time sponsors, my family, and God. I wouldn’t be where I am without any of them.

Kuphall is kicking off his 2022 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite season right now at the St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida. Follow all the action and news on Bassmaster LIVE, and at bassmaster.com.

Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.

Next Gen Lithium Batteries adds Elite Series Pros Greg Hackney and Clifford Pirch to Pro Team

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Next Gen Lithium Batteries adds Elite Series Pros Greg Hackney and Clifford Pirch to Pro Team

Next Gen Lithium Batteries adds Elite Series Pros Greg Hackney and Clifford Pirch to Pro Team

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Peoria, Ariz. – February 9, 2022 – On the eve of the season opening event of the 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, Next Gen Lithium Batteries announces the addition of Greg Hackney or Gonzales, La. and Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz. to their pro team.

The pair of anglers will be using Next Gen Lithium Batteries as they compete in the nine-event schedule that begins in Palatka, Fla. In February, and ends in La Crosse, Wisc. in August.  Hackney will also be using them when he competes in his 16th Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell in March, seeking to become the only angler in pro fishing history to complete the Bass Fishing Grand Slam, winning the Bassmaster Angler of the Year, FLW Angler of the Year, FLW Cup and Bassmaster Classic Titles.

The pair boast impressive sets of credentials, with Hackney having built a Hall of Fame worthy list of accomplishments.  Hackney has competed in 198 Bassmaster events, winning six and placing in the top 10 59 times, he has earned $2,582,160 in Bassmaster career earnings along the way.  Pirch, has notched 10 top 10 finishes, made seven trips to the Bassmaster Classic and cashed $819,666 in B.A.S.S. paychecks along the way.

In addition to their excellence in B.A.S.S. competition, they have maintained that level of performance elsewhere.  Hackney adds another $1.1 million in earnings, five wins and 26 more top 10 finishes to his resume.  Pirch adds five wins, including three WON Bass U.S. Open victories, 16 top 10 finishes and another $million in earnings to his career achievements.

Kevin Johnson, President of Next Gen Lithium Batteries said that adding anglers like Hackney and Pirch were easy decisions.  “It’s not often that a company has the opportunity to add anglers of this caliber to their pro staff,” said Johnson.  “Greg will go down as one of the best to ever pick up a fishing rod, and Pirch has had a long, successful career that began in the West, it’s an honor to partner with them.”

Johnson said it is exciting to add them to the team.  “When we were able to sign Ish Monroe to the team, I knew it would be hard to match him, these guys do,” said Johnson.  “This will be Hackney’s first experience with lithium batteries, so it will be fun to work with him on that part, and I have had respect for Pirch for many years, and followed his career, so it will be exciting to work with him as well.”

Find more information about Next Gen Lithium Batteries on their website, https://nextgenlithium.com/, on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/NextGenLithium and on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/nextgenlithium/ or contact the company directly for information or to become a dealer at 623-999-4460, [email protected].

About Next Gen Lithium Batteries – At Next Gen Lithium we strive to bring you the world’s best and safest lithium batteries and chargers for the marine, RV, off road and UTV customer. Made with the highest-level materials and workmanship, when you purchase from Next Gen Lithium or any of our authorized dealers if you are not happy within 30 days of your purchase feel free to return your batteries for a refund.  Next Gen Lithium offers the industry’s best 12-year warranty that is easy to activate. We strive to show everyone the Next Gen way and lead with our customer service, we want everyone to be happy and we go the extra mile to deliver!

Wheeler and Lee Pace Eight Anglers That Advance From Knockout Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole

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Howell Weighs a 10-11 – Heaviest Bass in Bass Pro Tour History in Period 1, Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Thursday and Final-Day Shootout for $100,000

Link to Photo Gallery of Knockout Round Highlights

MONROE-WEST MONROE, La. (Feb. 9, 2022) – After surviving a tough four-day Qualifying Round on Lake D’Arbonne, the 38 Bass Pro Tour anglers that advanced to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Caney Creek Reservoir were rewarded with an incredible day of fishing, that included a new record for the all-time heaviest bass weighed in Bass Pro Tour competition.

When time expired at 5 p.m., Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, had tallied “one of the best fishing days of his entire life” – nine bass totaling 43 pounds, 7 ounces – to win the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour  B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole in Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana. Wheeler’s closest competitor was Berkley pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, who boated six bass – including a pair of 8-pounders – for a total weight of 34 pounds, 10 ounces.

MLF NOW! analyst Marty Stone often likes to say, the best anglers will catch fish and win, no matter the format. His point was well proven, Wednesday, as Wheeler’s best five-fish weight would have been 32 pounds, 5 ounces, and Lee’s best five would have gone for 32 pounds even – magical days by any format.

Guntersville, Alabama’s Randy Howell won the day’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award after he caught the largest bass ever weighed in Bass Pro Tour competition – a 10-pound, 11-ounce giant that bit his lipless crankbait in Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition will resume Thursday morning with the Championship Round when weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the most one-day weight will win the top prize of $100,000.

The six-day event, hosted by Discover Monroe-West Monroe, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000.

The top eight pros from Wednesday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Thursday’s Championship Round on Bussey Brake are:

1st:          Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., nine bass, 43-7
2nd:         Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., six bass, 34-10
3rd:         Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., six bass, 27-12
4th:         Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., six bass, 23-0
5th:         Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., three bass, 18-3
6th:         Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, five bass, 18-1
7th:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, four bass, 15-6
8th:         Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, three bass, 14-9

They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round winners:

Group A: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
Group B: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga.

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

“What an unbelievable day,” said an excited Wheeler said in his post-game interview. “That was so much fun. As many big ones as I caught – it was definitely the best tournament fishing day I’ve ever had. One of the best fishing days of my entire life.”

Wheeler spent the day throwing a jerkbait, targeting offshore structure – rock, points and brush.

“Multiple different jerkbaits played for me today,” Wheeler said. “It was pretty much Jerkbait Fishing 101. I threw it on a 6-foot, 8-inch medium-action (Duckett) Kelly Jordon Pro Series rod with 12-pound Sufix line.

“I promise that this isn’t the last time that you’ll see me here,” Wheeler went on to say. “I’ll definitely be making a couple of trips back to Caney Lake, this place was unreal.”

Also having a special day on the water was Alabama’s Jordan Lee, who weighed in two fish over 8 pounds and one over 7 pounds.

“Today was just crazy, the size of fish that I caught today,” Lee said. “I only caught six, but they were big. It was an incredible day.

“I caught the first fish on a ½-ounce football jig with a Berkley Chigger Craw, and it was one of those 8s,” Lee said. “From then on, I couldn’t get those fish to bite. I could see them on my Lowrance, so that’s when I went to a little Ned Rig.

“I was cutting a Berkley Hit Worm in half and using that on a spinning rod, and that was pretty much my 1-2 punch out deep.”

Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:

11th:       Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., four bass, 14-5, $10,000
12th:       Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., three bass, 12-2, $10,000
13th:       David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., three bass, 10-13, $10,000
14th:       Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., three bass, 8-15, $1, $10,000
15th:       Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., three bass, 7-13, $10,000
16th:       Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., three bass, 7-12, $10,000
17th:       Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., two bass, 7-11, $10,000
18th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., three bass, 7-4, $10,000
19th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., three bass, 7-1, $10,000
20th:       Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., two bass, 6-6, $10,000
21st:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., three bass, 6-5, $10,000
22nd:      Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., two bass, 6-0, $10,000
23rd:      Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., two bass, 5-15, $10,000
24th:       Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., two bass, 5-5, $10,000
25th:       Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., one bass, 5-1, $10,000
26th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., two bass, 4-14, $10,000
27th:       Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., one bass, 4-7, $10,000
28th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., one bass, 3-12, $10,000
29th:       Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., one bass, 3-11, $10,000
30th:       James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., one bass, 3-2, $10,000
31st:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, one bass, 2-7, $10,000
32nd:      Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., one bass, 2-6, $10,000
33rd:      Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., one bass, 2-5, $10,000
34th:       Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., one bass, 2-2, $10,000
35th:       Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, zero bass, $10,000
35th:       Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., zero bass, $10,000
35th:       Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., zero bass, $10,000
35th:       Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., zero bass, $10,000
35th:       Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., zero bass, $10,000
35th:       Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., zero bass, $10,000

Overall, there were 91 scorable bass weighing 342 pounds, 14 ounces caught by 32 pros on Wednesday, which included six 7-pounders, two 8-pounders, and one 10-pounder.

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

The final 10 anglers competing in Thursday’s Championship Round on Bussey Brake will launch from Bonner Ferry Road, five miles northwest of Bastrop off of Hwy 593 at 8:30 a.m. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch ramp, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing in the Championship Round with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement on Bussey Brake for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 3 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

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

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PRO (PART 1) by NPAA

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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PRO (PART 1) by NPAA

 

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PRO (PART 1)

Do you dream of being a pro angler? You might be closer than you think.

Forestville, WI (February 9, 2022) – What defines a professional angler? Ask someone off the street and they’ll likely describe fancy boats, bright lights and big fish. Ask those who stand atop the leaderboard, however, and they’ll tell a different story – one of hard work, determination, and the efforts of many other industry pros who have helped them succeed.

“You can’t get to the top without others to lift you up,” says, Patrick Neu, president of the 1,400-member non-profit National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA). “Nobody reaches the pinnacle of professionalism in this industry without a lot of help. That’s exactly why the NPAA is inviting fishing industry workers of every type to join our ranks. Our purpose is to grow and protect sportfishing while providing our members the tools and association benefits needed to increase their professionalism and meet individualized goals.”

To be sure, professionalism in the fishing industry is wide ranging, a point not lost on the organization and its members. “Being a fishing industry ‘pro’ is a pretty loose term,” says NPAA member Chad Pipkens, a ten-year full-time veteran of the Bassmaster Elite Series and five-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier from Dewitt, Michigan, who spent several years prior honing his skills on a variety of smaller trails before acquiring the knowledge, money and flexibility of time needed to compete at the highest levels.

“Professional doctors diagnose and treat patients, teachers instruct students, pro golfers receive PGA cards, and electricians need a license to perform electrical work,” Pipkens says. “These are all well-defined fields of specialization. By comparison, the fishing world encompasses many different job opportunities. Sure, tournament anglers, captains and guides are fishing professionals, but so are the highly skilled mechanics that work on your engine as well as the folks who run the marina, design lures, sell fishing tackle, manage anglers and staff the tournament trails.

“To me,” Pipkens continued, “anyone making meaningful money or striving to earn a living in this industry should qualify as a pro. If you don’t want to be on the water day in and day out, but you still want to be in the industry, you can find the contacts amongst our membership to maybe make that happen.”

“Anyone making meaningful money or striving to earn a living in this industry should qualify as a pro.”

According to Pipkens, the NPAA does a great job of teaching aspiring pros how to run a fishing-related business through their seminars, annual conference and approachable members who have already achieved success. “NPAA membership can shorten your learning curve and raise your professionalism at any level,” he points out. “It’s a great organization for learning the ins and outs of running your own business; whether that’s tech stuff, accounting, how to network or get paid by more than one employer, it certainly can help shorten your learning curve.”

As a pro angler, Pipkens says his life is organized chaos; getting the boat ready, crisscrossing the country, and being on the road for five weeks at a time while never losing his family focus. He often practices on the water from sunrise to sunset. Despite the pressure to win, tournaments are actually the fun part of his routine. “Balancing all the rest,” he says, “is what really makes you a professional.”

For tournament pros, guides and charter captains in particular, there is a ton of preparation that takes place behind the scenes, notes John Campbell, an NPAA founding member and full-time guide. A Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame member inducted in 2018, Campbell managed to win both the Pro Walleye Trail Detroit River and FLW Lake Ouachita championships. He also qualified for a major walleye championship every single year from 1989 to 2011 while on the pro tour. That’s 22 consecutive years, if you’re counting.

Like Pickens, Campbell agrees publicly visible aspects of being a tournament angler or guide help solidify your status as a professional, but the business end of things is vitally important. “Sure, you’ve got to pre-fish, choose your lures, maintain your gear, set up the boat and put in plenty of time on the road,” he notes, “but you also have to learn to book charters, carefully plan out your competition schedule, promote your sponsors and tend to family matters. Earning money and winning tournaments is vital, but also important is finding ways to help grow the sport through sharing knowledge and getting more kids involved.”                    

As a professional guide, Campbell is in the business of educating anglers. “To me, helping others learn the game is the sign of a true pro,” he states, adding that this is exactly the kind of people you’ll network and rub elbows with in the NPAA. “This organization supported over 100 Future Angler clinics in 2021 alone. With support from the Future Angler Foundation, it’s member volunteers also distributed over 4,000 NPAA Future Pro T-shirts and 3,000 rod/reel combos to kids at NPAA Future Angler education events. That, I believe, is professionalism at its finest.”

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

Editor’s Note: This NPAA publication is part one of a two-part release on “The Definition of a Professional.” Part 2 will include insights from NPAA members Tom Keenan and Adam Rasmussen, good friends who have taken different paths to become angling pros. Stay tuned for the next edition.
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LEARN HOW TO DROPSHOT! (CATCH MORE FISH) by Fresh Baitz

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This high finesse technique was developed in Japan to offset the heavy pressure of most Japanese lakes. Adding a weight to the tag end of your line might seem simple. But, there are a ton of different variations to try out.

 
Rod?! Line?! Weights?!
 

Dropshot fishing is normally a light-tackle technique. This means you’ll need a spinning rod, 4-6 pound line, and a 3/16 – 1/4 ounce weight.

A swivel weight at the bottom of the rig will prevent line twist and makes for a better experience.

Since the bait is up off of the bottom and “in their face”, bass are usually moving horizontally to the bottom when they strick, so the bite will give the sensation of having the rod torn out of your hand.

 
Recommended Bait!
 

Designed to imitate a major aquatic food source that fish can’t resist biting. The Fresh Baitz HellaMite has the realistic profile of an insect larva. Which is a commonly known snack for all species of fish year-round.

  • Superior 3.25″ Insect Larva
  • 10 Count Pack
  • Larva Non-salted plastic for REAL life action and durability.
  • Hyperactive Ribbed Tail Design
  • Scented for Complete Attraction
  • Balanced Buoyancy for Multiple Rigging Options
  • Made in the USA!

 
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The Best Techniques!
 

There’s no real way to dropshot incorrectly. But, you must outsmart the fish in order to get more bites. 

Dropshotting can be very useful when fishing in deep water. Just locate the structure, drop the bait directly on top of the fish, and then wait. 

You can also cast to the shore and work the bait back toward the boat. 

If you put your boat on the bank and cast into deeper water then you can work your way up uphill.

Dropshotting over bedding fish works wonders. Some people like to use a heavier setup and flip their bait along deep tulles or even grass beds.

 
Dropshot Worms Too!
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Save Money On A Kit!
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Lintner Runs Away with Group B Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole

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Covington, Georgia Pro Bests Kentucky’s Bradley Roy by 17 Pounds to Cruise to Thursday’s Championship Round, 19 Anglers Advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round


Link to Photo Gallery of Qualifying Round Group B Highlights

MONROE-WEST MONROE, La. (Feb. 8, 2022) – Although he didn’t have as quite of good of a day as he did Sunday, pro Jared Lintner of Covington, Georgia, had enough of a cushion that it really was never close. Lintner weighed in a two-day total of 11 scorable bass on Lake D’Arbonne totaling 47 pounds, 5 ounces, to cruise to a Qualifying Round win for Group B at the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole in Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana, and advance straight into the final-day Championship Round.

Covercraft pro Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Kentucky, caught a two-day total of 11 bass weighing 30-5 to end the round in second place, while Lynchburg, Virginia’s David Dudley, finished the round in third place with a two-day total of 11 bass weighing 29-10. Toro pro Jeff Sprague of Point, Texas , caught 10 bass weighing 26-13 to finish in fourth, while Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Kevin VanDam, the most decorated angler in the sport, advanced to the Knockout Round in fifth place with a two-day total of nine bass weighing 25 pounds even.

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

The six-day event, hosted by Discover Monroe-West Monroe, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000.

“You can’t win it if you’re not in it, and I am thrilled to know that we are in it,” Lintner said in his post-game interview. “It has been a grind this week – very few bites to be had. When the fishing is tough, you have to go with what you have confidence in and that’s what I have done this week fishing the Bubba Shot.

“It wasn’t a pretty day, today,” Lintner continued. “I didn’t catch any big ones. And I really started feeling some heat from Bradley Roy in the third period, but luckily I caught enough to hold him off.”

Like Sunday, Lintner spent the day targeting boat docks with his Bubba Shot-rig – a Marten’s Madness-colored Roboworm, dipped in Pautzke Fire Gel bait scent, rigged on 16-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line with a 3/0 Trokar hook and a ¼-ounce Eco Pro Tungsten Full Contact Drop Shot weight,

“The Pautzke’s is making a difference,” Lintner said. “Several times throughout this first round I’d have a moment where I thought I’d feel a bite, or I’d miss one. I’d re-lather that worm up in the Fire Gel and they’d choke it.

“I’ve come close to winning several times before – and I’ve also been the guy knocked out at the last minute – so I am so happy to finally win my round,” Lintner went on to say. “I know things are going to be very different on Bussey Brake, so I’ll go back to the house and revamp everything, and I’ll be ready to go.”

After not having a scorable bass well into the third period on Sunday, VanDam caught four bass in the final 10 minutes of the day to start Tuesday in seventh place, He added four more bass Tuesday weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces to comfortably advance to the Knockout Round in fifth place.

“The only thing that I had left was the upper end of the lake, fishing the river points and tree lines up the river,” VanDam said. “I was throwing a Strike King KVD 300 Jerkbait series and a Strike King Series 3 crankbait – crawfish, or baby carp, or Denny Brauer craw – any kind of brownish crawfish color.

“I’m moving on to Caney Lake, and that was my main goal – I wanted to start the season off strong,” VanDam went on to say. “Hopefully tomorrow we can get into that top eight and move on to the Championship Round.

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group B that advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Caney Creek are:

1st:          Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 18 bass, 47-5 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2nd:         Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 11 bass, 30-5
3rd:         David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 11 bass, 29-10
4th:         Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 10 bass, 26-13
5th:         Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., nine bass, 25-0
6th:         Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 13 bass, 24-15
7th:         Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 23-7
8th:         Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., eight bass, 22-2
9th:         Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., seven bass, 21-4
10th:       Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., nine bass, 20-5
11th:       Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 20-4
12th:       Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., eight bass, 19-8
13th:       Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., six bass, 18-11
14th:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., eight bass, 18-10
15th:       Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., eight bass, 18-4
16th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., nine bass, 18-2
17th:       Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 16-12
18th:       James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 15-4
19th:       Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., seven bass, 14-2
20th:       Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., three bass, 13-15

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

Overall, there were 121 scorable bass weighing 319 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 33 pros on Tuesday.

Shryock and Tharp split the day’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award, taking home $500 apiece as each weighed in a bass totaling 5 pounds, 7 ounces. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

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

The 38 anglers competing in the Knockout Round will launch Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. from Caney Creek Hooks Marina, located at 400 Spillway Road in Chatham, Louisiana. Thursday’s final day Championship Round on Bussey Brake will launch at 8:30 a.m. from Bonner Ferry Road, five miles northwest of Bastrop off of Hwy 593.

Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the respective launch ramps, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement on Lake D’Arbonne, and a 2-pound minimum weight requirement on Caney Creek and Bussey Brake for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 3 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

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

HOBIE B.O.S. SPONSORED BY POWER-POLE TO OPEN SEASON ON TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR

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HOBIE B.O.S. SPONSORED BY POWER-POLE TO OPEN SEASON ON TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR

 

HOBIE B.O.S. SPONSORED BY POWER-POLE TO OPEN SEASON ON TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR

Top kayak anglers to kick off chase for 2022 B.O.S. crown on legendary Texas bass lake.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (February 8, 2022) – Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Texas/Louisiana border is famous as one of the top largemouth bass fishing destinations in the world. Now it can add another page to its hallowed ledger: host of the season-opening event for the 2022 Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole.

Scheduled for February 12 and 13, the Toledo Bend B.O.S. event promises to be an exciting kick-off for the elite and highly skilled field of participating kayak anglers. With the 200-competitor entry limit already reached, competition will be stiff, the payouts large, and the search for the reservoir’s renown lunkers intense. Anglers will be competing for cash payouts to the top 10% of the field, Angler of the Year (A.O.Y.) award points, a $500 prize for Bassin’ Big Bass honors, and the year’s first three qualifying spots to the 2022 Tournament of Champions (TOC) on Caddo Lake, Nov 11-13, in Shreveport- Bossier City, Louisiana. Additionally, all participants have an opportunity to win a 2022 Hobie Outback in a custom orange and black ‘BOS Camo’ color, plus a variety of sponsor prizes that will be randomly given away.

“Hitting our 200-angler cap for the first event of 2022 means we’re going to be in for a special season,” says tournament director, A.J. McWhorter. “The competition will be at its highest level and payouts will be the largest they’ve ever been. It’s fitting that our first max capacity event is being held on one of the largest lakes in the country with the potential to catch the biggest fish the series has ever seen. It’s always special to run an event on a fishery with this kind of pedigree. I think I speak for everyone involved when I say: ‘We can’t wait to get started!’”

No doubt, Bryan Howell, 29, of Rowlett, Texas, is anxious to throw a bait in the water. The winner of last year’s opening event on Lake Seminole, he understands the value of a good start. “Winning the first event of the year can give your entire season a push in the right direction,” says Howell. “I didn’t even think about shooting for the Angler of the Year (AOY) title last year until I put that first win on the board. All of a sudden, I was leading in points and I managed to stay within striking distance the entire season. Finish high in the opener and you instantly get a feeling the rest of the year is going to go well.”

To get out of the box fast, Howell plans to fish to his strengths, targeting grass, cypress trees and whatever other shallow structure he can find. He’ll likely start by throwing a Z-Man Jackhammer ChatterBait, which he used to win the Lake Seminole event last year. “It’s a phenomenal pre-spawn bait that bass just love to chew all year long,” he explains. “I’ll be throwing it from my Hobie PA360. It’s a great platform that helps me squeeze into small channels that bass boats can’t access. Looking for fresh fish in untapped waters is a great way to win tournaments.”

Jordan Marshall, 26, from Maryville, Tennessee, is also chomping at the bit. The reigning Angler of the Year (AOY), he says he can’t wait to defend his crown. “I know I have a target on my back this season after doing so well last year and I accept that. I’m known for giving other top kayak anglers a bit of a hard time,” he chuckles, “so I guess it’s my turn to get what I’ve been giving now. You can bet I’m excited to defend my crown.”

Like many of this event’s competitors, Marshall has never fished Toledo Bend Reservoir before, but he’s stoked to get started. “I’m going to make a big fishing week out of this trip. I’m heading down early to fish with some friends at Lake Fork and, hopefully, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, before pre-fishing Toledo Bend. If we get some fair weather this trip should be a blast.”

Marshall says he struggles in early-season bass tournaments if the weather is cold, so he plans to simply concentrate on filling his limit of five bass each day and seeing how that approach holds up. “I think pulling a daily limit will be the real challenge here this time of year,” he states. “There are plenty of big fish to be had, so that’s not my concern. I plan to fish in water depths of six feet or less in the hopes of intercepting some fish coming to the edge of the flats to look around for spawning areas. I’ll go as shallow as I can based on water temperatures.”

Having a choice, this time of year Marshall prefers water temperatures in the mid-50-degree range for throwing spinnerbaits. For cooler waters, he’ll crank. If the temperatures are warmer, he’ll toss a Z-Man Jackhammer ChatterBait – the scenario he is hoping for most. No matter the weather forecast, he’ll be tackling the 65-mile-long 185,000-acre lake in his Hobie Pro Angler 14, noting it has plenty of horizontal rod storage, room for baits, and a front hatch that can be stuffed with gear that might be needed during the course of the tourney.

“I’ve got to say the Hobie B.O.S. is the best kayak fishing trail around,” continues Marshall. “It’s really well run, and it’s given me an opportunity to get my name out there. I really appreciate Hobie for running this series, giving us all an opportunity to fish, and for showing us off at day’s end. The coverage of the tournaments is terrific and certainly helps to grow our sport – and the prize packages are as good as they come. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Howell agrees with that assessment. “I’m excited to fish Toledo Bend. It’s a big bass factory and I think a bunch of people could reel in their personal bests here. The competition is going to be tough because there are so many hammers at these Hobie B.O.S. events. For me, this is the number one kayak fishing trail. Simply put, they treat their anglers the best, provide the best competition, and give back the biggest payouts. It’s the number one series as far as I’m concerned.”

Keep in mind there’s other fun things besides competing to do in Toledo Lake Bend County, so feel free to bring the family along. The lake has over 35 resorts and marinas plus two state parks that offer camping and hiking. Fort Jesup State Historic Site, along historic El Camino Real de los Tejas road, is located here and has events to celebrate its bicentennial. There’s a 30-mile antiquing trail with over 14 stores plus unique boutiques in nearby Many, Louisiana.

“It’s also crawfish season!” adds Georgia Craven, Executive Director of Sabine Parish Tourist Commission,” and I highly recommend you try some. We have lots of great restaurants throughout the area including Gilligan’s Crawfish & Grille and Bayou Crawfish.”

Winning the season’s opening event on Toledo Bend Reservoir can change an aspiring angler’s season. “Win here and everyone on the circuit will instantly know your name,” sums McWhorter. “We’re thrilled to have hit our 200-angler capacity – both for this event and the Santee Cooper event slated for March 26 and 27. It says a lot about the hard work of our staff and the belief in us our sponsors and host cities have shown over the years. Most importantly, it speaks to the tremendous support of our anglers in attending and promoting this series. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for everyone pushing this along the way.”

MDJ Grinds to Qualifying Round Win for Group A at MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole

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Tuskegee, Alabama Pro Advances Straight to Thursday’s Championship Round on Bussey Brake, 19 Anglers Advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Caney Creek


Link to Photo Gallery of Group A Qualifying Round Day 2 Highlights

MONROE-WEST MONROE, La. (Feb. 7, 2022) – Favorite Fishing pro Mark Daniels Jr. of Tuskegee, Alabama, boated eight scorable bass totaling 15 pounds, 7 ounces to earn the win Monday during the Group A Qualifying Round at the season-opening MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole in Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana. Daniels now advances directly to Thursday’s final-day Championship Round on Bussey Brake.

Daniels’ two-day Qualifying Round total of 16 bass weighing 33 pounds, 5 ounces, earned him the win by a comfortable 8½-pound margin over Nitro pro Edwin Evers of Talala, Oklahoma, who caught a two-day total of nine bass weighing 24-13 to finish the round in second place. Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, boated a two-day total of 11 bass weighing 23-15 to end the round in third, while Shinichi Fukae of Osaka, Japan , finished the round in fourth place with a two-day total of eight bass for 22-6. Rounding out the top five was Day 1 leader Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who caught six bass for 21-2 to advance in fifth place.

The six-day event, hosted by Discover Monroe-West Monroe, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

“To be honest, I was really looking forward to going to Caney Creek, but I’m even happier now that I’m going straight to Bussey Brake with an opportunity to win this thing,” Daniels said in his post-game interview. “The automatic top-10 berth makes it an already awesome week and I could not be any happier with how this round went.”

Daniels dominated early Monday, catching five scorable bass on a jerkbait before 10 a.m. Seven of his eight keepers came on the jerkbait – he also added one in the afternoon on a ¼-ounce Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap.

“That ¼ ounce Trap is a little sneaky – not a lot of people throw it,” Daniels said. “Most of the time I’m throwing it trying to match the bait, but I’m throwing it this week because I’m targeting that 1-to-3-foot depth.

“I’m throwing the jerkbait on my 6-foot, 8-inch Favorite Pro Series casting rod,” Daniels continued. “It’s a little bit shorter and allows me to impart a good action on the bait without slapping the water, which happens to me with a longer rod. I’m throwing the Trap on a 6-foot, 10-inch Favorite Signature B-Lat Sick Stick with a 6:8:1 gear ratio reel and 12-pound Seaguar Fluorcarbon line.”

With Daniels now advancing to the Championship Round for the fifth time in his career, he’ll be looking to earn his first career victory on Thursday.

“I’m looking forward to spending a little bit of time scouting Bussey Brake on my day off. It’s been a grinder, but I’m super grateful to make the Championship Round. I’ve got a shot and I can’t ask for anything else – that’s why I’m here.”

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

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group A that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Caney Creek Reservoir are:

1st:          Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 16 bass, 33-5 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2nd:         Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., nine bass, 24-13
3rd:         Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 11 bass, 23-15
4th:         Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, eight bass, 22-6
5th:         Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 21-2
6th:         Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., six bass, 21-1
7th:         Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 19-3
8th:         Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., seven bass, 18-9
9th:         Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, seven bass, 18-5
10th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, six bass, 18-5
11th:       Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, eight bass, 16-15
12th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., six bass, 16-9
13th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., six bass, 15-9
14th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 15-9
15th:       Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., seven bass, 14-14
16th:       Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 14-11
17th:       Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., five bass, 12-14
18th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., six bass, 12-12
19th:       Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., four bass, 12-11
20th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 12-5

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

Overall on Monday there were 104 scorable bass caught weighing 250 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 34 pros.

Evers earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Monday with a 5-pound, 13-ounce largemouth that bit a jerkbait at the start of Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

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

In the four-day opening Qualifying Rounds, anglers will launch at 8:30 a.m. from the Lake D’Arbonne State Park, located at 3628 Evergreen Road in Farmerville, Louisiana. The Knockout Round will launch Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. from the Caney Creek Hooks Marina, located at 400 Spillway Road in Chatham, Louisiana. Thursday’s final day Championship Round on Bussey Brake will launch at 8:30 a.m. from Bonner Ferry Road, five miles northwest of Bastrop off of Hwy 593.

Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the respective launch ramps, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement on Lake D’Arbonne, and a 2-pound minimum weight requirement on Caney Creek and Bussey Brake for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 3 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

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

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