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Mark Your Calendar for the First Keep America Fishing Online Auction
Strader Targets Largemouth for Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft
Spring City, Tennessee Pro Catches 64 Bass Totaling 166-8 to Earn Qualifying Round and Advance to Wednesday’s Championship, 38 Anglers Set to Compete in Tuesday’s Knockout Round
Link to Video Coverage of Day 2 at Lake St. Clair, Qualifying Group B
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (Sept. 13, 2021) – Pro Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tennessee, caught 30 scorable bass totaling 73 pounds, 4 ounces to win the two-day Qualifying Group B round Monday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
Strader’s two-day total of 64 bass weighing 166 pounds, 8 ounces earned him the round win by a 36-pound, 1-ounce margin and advances him directly into Wednesday’s final-day Championship Round of competition. The six-day tournament, hosted by Macomb County, St. Clair Shores and the Detroit Sports Commission, showcases the 80 top pro bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.
While Lake St. Clair is widely-known as a world-class smallmouth bass fishery, Strader has done his damage this week targeting solely largemouth.
“Finally! I’m so happy to win one. Golly bum, that is so hard to do,” Strader said in his post-game interview. “I tell you what’s even harder, though – I went against the grain and did it with the wrong species. What a great two days of fishing it has been.”
Like Day 1, Strader spent most of his day fishing shallow, alternating between a Z-Man Evergreen Jack Hammer ChatterBait paired with a Zoom Z-Swim and a Neko-rigged Zoom Zlinky.
“I don’t know what’s up with that spot – just more and more fish keep getting on it,” Strader continued. “I know it’s probably going to get played out, but I’m looking forward to getting back out there on Wednesday and seeing how this shakes out.”
Pro Fred “Boom Boom” Roumbanis of Russellville, Arkansas, caught a two-day total of 45 bass weighing 130-7 to end the round in second place. Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, finished the round in third place with a two-day total of 41 bass weighing 122-6. Alton Jones Jr. of Waco, Texas , weighed in 37 scorable bass over two days totaling 115-14 to end the round in fourth, while local favorite Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Michigan, who qualified for this event via the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, rounded out the top five finishers with a two-day total of 39 bass weighing 107-2.
The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from Group A and 19 from Group B – will now compete Tuesday in the Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to Championship Wednesday. Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Group A winner Michael Neal, Group B winner Wesley Strader, 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 B that now advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round on Lake St. Clair are:
1st: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 64 bass, 166-8 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2nd: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 45 bass, 130-7
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 41 bass, 122-6
4th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 37 bass, 115-14
5th: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., 39 bass, 107-2
6th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 27 bass, 93-5
7th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 30 bass, 91-10
8th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 32 bass, 91-5
9th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 32 bass, 90-13
10th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 32 bass, 90-10
11th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 29 bass, 86-8
12th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 27 bass, 76-15
13th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 25 bass, 73-15
14th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 26 bass, 73-11
15th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 23 bass, 70-1
16th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 25 bass, 67-11
17th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 24 bass, 66-10
18th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 25 bass, 66-9
19th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 22 bass, 61-5
20th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 16 bass, 58-3
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 457 bass weighing 1,366 pounds, 2 ounces caught by 38 pros on Monday.
Birge won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Monday with a 5-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth bass that he caught on a crankbait during Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Lake St. Clair on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. Now that each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In tomorrow’s Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In Wednesday’s final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will take off from the 9-Mile Ramp, located in St. Clair Shores, at 8 a.m. ET each day of competition. With strong winds being forecast for Tuesday, Bass Pro Tour Tournament Director Aaron Beshears has decided to allow Knockout Round competitors to trailer their boats. Anglers must remain at the 9-Mile Boat Ramp until 8 a.m. and then will be allowed to depart to the desired launch ramp of their choosing.
The General Tire Takeout ceremonies will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5 p.m. each day. 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 CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft 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 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day 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 CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Nov. 13 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on 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.
Carbondale’s McKinney Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super-Tournament on Lake Shelbyville
oledo’s Dittamore Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (Sept. 13, 2021) – Boater Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Illinois wins the two-day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super-Tournament Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Shelbyville Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Shelbyville, Illinois. McKinney earned $5,806 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill. | 10 | 30-14 | $5,806 |
| 2nd | Bradley Smith of Saint Jacob, Ill. | 10 | 25-6 | $2,403 |
| 3rd | Scott Neighbors of Makanda, Ill. | 8 | 24-7 | $1,603 |
| 4th | Alex Moore of Chester, Ill. | 8 | 22-2 | $1,121 |
| 5th | Garrett McDowell of Mattoon, Ill. | 9 | 21-4 | $961 |
| 6th | Patrick O’Dell of Windsor, Ill. | 8 | 16-5 | $881 |
| 7th | Tom Silber of Labadie, Mo. | 7 | 14-10 | $801 |
| 8th | Hilton Jones of Westfield, Ill. | 5 | 13-1 | $721 |
| 9th | Tyler Schweigert of Morton, Ill. | 6 | 12-7 | $641 |
| 10th | Travis Wilson of La Harpe, Ill. | 5 | 12-5 | $561 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Dittamore of Toledo, Ill. | 7 | 16-9 | $2,403 |
| 2nd | Sheldon Ayers of Goreville, Ill. | 3 | 12-1 | $1,491 |
| 3rd | Anthony Balding of Lebanon, Ill. | 5 | 11-12 | $801 |
| 4th | Alan Bernicky of Joliet, Ill. | 6 | 10-13 | $1,011 |
| 5th | Jason Korando of Chester, Ill. | 5 | 9-10 | $481 |
| 6th | Drew Cress of Highland, Ill. | 4 | 9-5 | $441 |
| 7th | Amanda Black of Toledo, Ill. | 4 | 9-1 | $401 |
| 8th | Drew Williams of Homer, Ill. | 4 | 6-10 | $360 |
| 9th | Tim Schneider of Saint Louis, Mo. | 4 | 6-7 | $320 |
| 10th | Lyle Lehman of Blue Mound, Ill. | 3 | 6-1 | $280 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Mike Barnes of Mackinaw, Ill. | 5-pound, 7-ounce bass | $577 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Sheldon Ayers of Goreville, Ill. | 4-pound, 6-ounce bass | $289 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | N/A | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | N/A |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | Unspecified Soft Plastic | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Unspecified Texas Rig | Green Pumpkin |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Illini Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark. | Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce |
| 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 2-4 | Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. | Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .
Lamar’s Meunier Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super-Tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake
Saint Charles’ Wallace Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BUCHANAN, Tenn. (Sept. 13, 2021) – Boater Kevin Meunier of Lamar, Indiana wins the two-day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super-Tournament Presented by T-H Marine at Kentucky-Barkley Lake Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Buchanan, Tennessee. Meunier earned $5,943 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Henry County Tourism Authority.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Kevin Meunier of Lamar, Ind. | 10 | 30-5 | $5,943 |
| 2nd | Edward Gettys of Paris, Tenn. | 10 | 24-12 | $2,971 |
| 3rd | Lance Freeman of Eddyville, Ky. | 10 | 24-12 | $1,648 |
| 4th | Jordan Hartman of Benton, Ky. | 9 | 24-3 | $1,153 |
| 5th | Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tenn. | 9 | 23-6 | $989 |
| 6th | Billy Schroeder of Paducah, Ky. | 7 | 21-6 | $906 |
| 7th | Matt Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky. | 9 | 19-11 | $824 |
| 8th | Keith Amerson of Bethel Springs, Tenn. | 6 | 18-7 | $991 |
| 9th | Tyler Brown of Almo, Ky. | 8 | 17-1 | $659 |
| 10th | Ramie Colson, Jr. of Cadiz, Ky. | 6 | 16-9 | $577 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Corey Wallace of Saint Charles, Ky. | 5 | 12-14 | $2,471 |
| 2nd | William Walsh of Bon Aqua, Tenn. | 3 | 9-6 | $1,540 |
| 3rd | Bobby Griffith of Mayfield, Ky. | 3 | 9-2 | $822 |
| 4th | Austin Braboy of Paducah, Ky. | 2 | 8-3 | $577 |
| 5th | Dan Henry of Arcola, Ill. | 3 | 8-0 | $494 |
| 6th | Ethan Wheeler of Mayfield, Ky. | 3 | 7-4 | $453 |
| 7th | Adrian Urso of Union, Ky. | 3 | 6-15 | $412 |
| 8th | Eric Grant of Brighton, Tenn. | 2 | 6-13 | $371 |
| 9th | Mark Goodridge of Burlington, Ky. | 3 | 6-8 | $330 |
| 10th | Pat Rapp of Hawesville, Ky. | 3 | 6-6 | $488 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | John Fatheree of Grantsburg, Ill. | 5-pound, 2-ounce bass | $303 |
| Boater Big Bass | Ethan Fields of Breese, Ill. | 5-pound, 2-ounce bass | $303 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | William Walsh of Bon Aqua, Tenn. | 4-pound, 14-ounce bass | $304 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Edward Gettys of Paris, Tenn. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | Unspecified Topwater Lures | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Unspecified Topwater Lures & Spinnerbaits | N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| LBL Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark. | Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce |
| 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 2-4 | Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. | Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .
Matt Adkins & Stephen Costa Win Leesville Lake Club Tourney Sept 12,2021
We had 13 boats today at the Leesville Lake Club Tournament. 1st place – Matt Adkins & Stephen Costa with 15.16lbs. and also had Lunker with a 5.53lbs.
2nd place – Bo Grosvenser & Billy Strain with 13.41lbs.
3rd place – Bryant Copely & Steve Woodruff with 11.91lbs.
Neal Cruises to Record-Breaking Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft
Dayton, Tennessee Pro Advances Straight into Wednesday’s Championship Round with Heaviest Two-Day Total in Bass Pro Tour History, 2nd– through 20th-place finishers Prep for Tuesday’s Knockout Round
Link to Photo of Qualifying Group B Winner Michael Neal
Link to Video Coverage of Day 2 at Lake St. Clair, Qualifying Group B
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (Sept. 12, 2021) – It was never close, Sunday. After jumping out to a big lead on Day 1 Friday, pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, backed it up with another big day on Day 2 Sunday weighing in 33 smallmouth bass totaling 102 pounds, 3 ounces to coast to the win in the Group A Qualifying Round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
Neal’s two-day Qualifying Round total of 69 bass weighing 223 pounds even broke numerous Bass Pro Tour records – Neal became the first angler to ever weigh back-to-back 100+ pounds of bass in both days of the Qualifying Round, and his final weight of 223 pounds was the heaviest two-day Qualifying Round total in Bass Pro Tour history. Neal’s Qualifying Round margin-of-victory of 76 pounds, 14 ounces also shattered the record as the largest margin-of-victory in the four-year history of the Bass Pro Tour.
“Without a doubt, the winning fish are right here in this area,” Neal said in his post-game interview. “I’ve had two fantastic days of fishing. It’s a ½- to ¾-mile stretch, and there are just tons and tons of fish here. And they’re good sized. I’ve been able to maintain a 3-pound average over two days and have caught 100 pounds there two days in a row.
“Wednesday is going to be a shootout, for sure, and I have a hard time believing that it won’t take over 100 pounds to win the Championship Round. So, we’re just going to have to come back out here Wednesday and see how it goes one more day,” Neal continued.
Neal caught his fish on a variety of baits, but credited his hooks as being the key so far for him this week.
“I’ve caught them on a variety of different things so far. I caught them on a drop-shot rig with a spinning rod. I’ve caught them on a vibrating jig, And I’ve caught them on a crankbait. A lot of my bigger fish have come on the crankbait.
“One of the keys this week has been swapping out my hooks,” Neal went on to say. “I’ve been putting on a number 2-sized Gamakatsu G Finesse treble hook. It’s super smooth but super strong. I’ve changed all of my jerkbaits and crankbaits to it. It’s the only hook I’ll throw on these smallmouth. And it’s special because Aaron Martens designed it. He couldn’t be here competing with us this week, but we want him to know that he is in all of our thoughts and prayers, and I hope he’s been able to watch and know that his hook has put a lot of fish in my boat this week.”
B&W Trailer Hitches pro Russ Lane of Prattville, Alabama, caught a two-day total of 48 bass weighing 146-2 to finish the round in second place. Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, boated a two-day total of 46 bass weighing 124-11 to end the round in third place. After starting the day in 8th place, pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Arizona , weighed in the second-heaviest weight of the day totaling 68-10 to vault into fourth place with a two-day total of 36 bass for 117-3. Rounding out the top five is pro Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, who caught a two-day total of 34 bass weighing 115-5.
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 Monday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Tuesday. Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Neal, Monday’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 Tuesday’s Knockout Round on Lake St. Clair are:
1st: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 69 bass, 223-0 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2nd: Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., 48 bass, 146-2
3rd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 48 bass, 131-13
4th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., 40 bass, 118-4
5th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 36 bass, 117-3
6th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 34 bass, 115-5
7th: Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas., 34 bass, 95-15
8th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 31 bass, 95-5
9th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 28 bass, 85-2
10th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 30 bass, 84-12
11th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 29 bass, 83-2
12th: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., 29 bass, 81-3
13th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 25 bass, 76-2
14th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 22 bass, 72-9
15th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 25 bass, 72-6
16th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 22 bass, 70-13
17th: Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss., 22 bass, 68-3
18th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 24 bass, 67-1
19th: Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 23 bass, 63-3
20th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 20 bass, 62-12
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 423 bass weighing 1,256 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the 40 pros on Sunday.
Wheeler won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with 5-pound, 11-ounce smallmouth bass that he caught on a drop-shot rig during Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Lake St. Clair on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will take off from the 9-Mile Ramp, located in St. Clair Shores, at 8 a.m. ET each day of competition. The General Tire Takeout ceremonies will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5 p.m. each day. 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 CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft 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 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 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 CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Nov. 13 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on 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.
Roger Hoover & Chuck Poovey Win CATT Robert Fowler Benefit Tournament Lake Norman, NC August 28, 2021
Thanks to everyone who came out to support this great cause! The event was a huge success! Thanks to the Fishing Legends Live Crew helping out when someone is need! Check out their Podcast on Facebook Fishing Legends Live! Thanks to Anthony Williams with CATT who ran the weigh in!
Roger Hoover & Chuck Poovey took 1st place with 5 bas weighing 16.84 lbs and they weighed in the BF at 5.95 lbs! All total Roger & Chuck took home $5,000.00! Great job guys!
A total of 84 teams competed for a total purse of $11,750.00!
| Team Names | # FISH | # PEN | PEN | BF | WT | TTL Wt | |
| Roger Hoover / Chuck Poovey | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.92 | 16.84 | 16.84 | $5,000.00 |
| Trace Bigelow / Mark Silverthorne | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.31 | 14.21 | 14.21 | $2,000.00 |
| Rob & Aaron Digh | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.02 | 13.82 | 13.82 | $1,000.00 |
| George Lauster / Austin Wike | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.57 | 13.64 | 13.64 | $750.00 |
| Chuck Doughit | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.63 | 13.29 | 13.29 | $650.00 |
| Mike Seawright / Steve Addington | 5 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 2.61 | 13.21 | 12.96 | $550.00 |
| Maurice Freeze / Chad Poteat | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.70 | 12.86 | 12.86 | $450.00 |
| Daniel Cook / Matt McBee “TATER HOG” | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.38 | 12.59 | 12.59 | $350.00 |
| David Hedrick / Sidney Reynolds | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.43 | 12.51 | 12.51 | Prize Pack |
| Kaden Buchmann / Chase Wodzinski Mooresville HS | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.87 | 12.25 | 12.25 | $1,000.00 |
| Stacy Gains / Billy Rochester | 5 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 3.45 | 12.44 | 12.19 | |
| Jeff & KJ Queen | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.35 | 12.09 | 12.09 | |
| Lance Eckford / Kevin Thomas | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.17 | 11.99 | 11.99 | |
| Steve Austin / Roger Wood | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.40 | 11.92 | 11.92 | |
| Roger Pope / Michael Smith | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.68 | 11.85 | 11.85 | |
| Chad Midkiff | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.77 | 11.85 | 11.85 | |
| Dale Surrett / Brian Morgan | 5 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 2.76 | 12.06 | 11.81 | |
| Jessie Smith / Patrick Houpe | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.69 | 11.26 | 11.26 | |
| Chris Carnes / Mike Stevens | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.68 | 11.17 | 11.17 | |
| Mitch Burgin | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.71 | 11.16 | 11.16 | |
| Hank Cherry / Norn Lowe | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.10 | 11.00 | 11.00 | |
| Adam Parker / Tyler Black | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 10.93 | 10.93 | |
| David Winters / Shane Lineberger | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.84 | 10.92 | 10.92 | |
| Stephen & Cole Hicks A/C | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.98 | 10.77 | 10.77 | $100.00 |
| Jonathan & Jon Luc Foster A/C | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.45 | 10.38 | 10.38 | |
| Todd Farris / Michael Barber | 5 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 3.68 | 10.61 | 10.36 | |
| Jason Wilson / Kelly Logan | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.51 | 10.19 | 10.19 | |
| David Lynch / JJ Morse | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.74 | 10.05 | 10.05 | |
| Edward Louthen / Mark Gallinger | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.84 | 9.78 | 9.78 | |
| Jonathan Carter / Matt Campbell | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.26 | 9.43 | 9.43 | |
| Michael & Matt Peerlock | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.05 | 9.05 | |
| Joe Mitchell / Ben Robertson | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.75 | 8.89 | 8.89 | |
| Stephen Sutton / Chad Bagwell | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.45 | 8.89 | 8.89 | |
| Alvin Shaw / Brent White | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8.45 | 8.45 | |
| Josuua & Maggie Queen A/C | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.80 | 8.00 | 8.00 | |
| Jody Jones / Randy Childress | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.90 | 7.90 | |
| Chris Dover / Chad Lail | 5 | 2.00 | 0.50 | 0.00 | 8.37 | 7.87 | |
| Joey Sabbagha / Dalton Dowdy | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.83 | 7.83 | |
| Cody Furr / Dave Robowski | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.81 | 7.81 | |
| Lucas Clark / Mark Chapman | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.30 | 7.30 | |
| Hunter Alexander / Harrison McCall Rowan HS | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.08 | 7.08 | $600.00 |
| Steven Stone / Trey Holt | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.06 | 7.06 | |
| Beau Winn / Cal Austin York Co. HS | 4 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 0.00 | 6.12 | 5.87 | $400.00 |
| Eric & Gavin Rumley A/C | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.02 | 5.02 | |
| Kayson McDaniel / Jonathon Watson | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.92 | 4.92 | |
| Mike & Lori Lankford | 1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.86 | 4.86 | 4.86 | |
| Hayden Hammond / Drake Sturgill York Co. HS | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.21 | 4.21 | |
| Tim Jolly / Shane Hartman | 1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.91 | 3.91 | 3.91 | |
| Jay & Jaythan Carr A/C | 1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 3.75 | |
| Dick & Gary Reeger | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.35 | 3.35 | |
| Michael & Will Sprouse A/C | 1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.97 | 2.97 | 2.97 | |
| Joshua Howell / Michael Moore | 1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 | |
| Vince & Mark Parker | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| David & Andrew Burris | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Jason Land / Bryson Garland | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Conrad Pogorzelski / Russell Griggs | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Joel Cerv / Tim Harrington | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Austin Garland | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Scott & Dwight P-NUT Beattie | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Alex Rhoney / Garrett Buchannon | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Kirk & Zack McCraw | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Christian Johnson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Rob & Noah Nicholson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Johnny Thronburg / Rick Carson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Joel Wilkins / Roger Childress | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Jeffery & Jacob Reese | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Bernie Davis / Conrad Manual | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Russell Hoyle | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Chad Salyer / Nate Bell York Co. HS | 1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.31 | 0.00 | 1.31 | |
| David & Kenny Beard | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Derrick Greer / Caleb Dover | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Will Mitchell / Shane Sharpe | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Anthony Johnson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Brent Davis / Eric Hess | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Jacob Smith | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Caleb Propst / Scott McGinnis | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Steven Brody Cox / Jacob Adams | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Bibb Wylie / Tony Talford | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Doug Hudgens / Scott Roberson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Larry Fleeman | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Alan & Tanner Fletcher | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Jake Monti / Logan Anderson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Matt Stout | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Jeff Johnson / Jerry Goble | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 5 High School Teams $1,000 $600 $400 | |||||||
| 6 Adult Child Teams $100.00 |
Ricky Young & Jeff Newman Win Eric Catlett Benefit on SML Sept 11,2021
The fishing community came together in spectacular fashion to show some love to our friend and fellow angler, Eric Catlett. Back in July, Catlett was in a major motor vehicle accident and sustained severe injuries that have required extensive surgeries and other medical treatments. It is understandable how this would cause considerable strain on a self-employed contractor and his family.
Catlett’s positive outlook, friendly demeanor, and optimistic spirit have made him a memorable and much-loved member of central Virginia’s angling community. In a testament to Catlett’s inspiration and impact, 92 boats entered today’s tournament. A $2,000 guaranteed grand prize was donated for this tournament by an anonymous source. Jeff Newman and Ricky Young won with 20.36#.
Thanks to the generosity of the anglers who participated in today’s tournament as well as donations from SML Tackle Shack, Last Cast Guide Service, Crazy Horse Marina and others, we were able to provide the Catlett family with over $11,000.
Special thanks to Charlie Davis and Johnny Cole for organizing the event, Aaron Scott and Connor Hardy for providing weighmaster services, Steve Woodruff, Susan May, and Christopher Bechtler (Crazy Horse Marina) for their invaluable support, numerous volunteers, and the following individuals and businesses who contributed raffle/giveaway items:
– John Crews/Missile Baits
– David Dudley
– WW Novelty
– Dude Let’s Fish
– Angler’s Choice Marine
– Pros Choice Sporting Goods
– Drop Zone Tackle
– Steve and Joan Woodruff
– Harbor Freight Tools
– Jonathan Arrington
– Journey Outdoors
– James Garrett
– Greg Dawson
CLICK HERE TO SEE RESULTS
Cory Johnston Notches Bassmaster Northern Open Win On 1000 Islands
Cory Johnston, of Cavan, Ontario, Canada, has won the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open at the St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands with a three-day total of 78 pounds.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
September 11, 2021
Cory Johnston Notches Bassmaster Northern Open Win On 1000 Islands
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CLAYTON, N.Y. — Saving the best for last, Bassmaster Elite Series angler Cory Johnston turned in his biggest bag of the week, 27 pounds, 6 ounces, and won the Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open at the St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands with a three-day total of 78-0.
Edging Day 1 leader Cal Climpson by 13 ounces, Johnston won the top prize of $43,433. Hailing from Cavan, Ontario, Canada, he said local knowledge proved invaluable.
“It was a great week and I had a lot of fun,” Johnston said. “I have a lot of spots out on Lake Ontario. I only pre-fished for about two days out here; I just know this place so well, but it’s burnt me so many times.
“I caught a ton of fish and I caught a lot of big fish. It just goes to show you what an incredible fishery we have here, so we have to look after this place.”
The first two days, Johnston kept himself in the hunt with limits of 25-7 and 25-3 that put him in fifth and second place. His final-round limit was the event’s second-heaviest, behind Climpson’s Day 1 bag of 27-7.
Johnston’s win provided a much-needed dose of redemption after what looked to be a run at the victory ended with a fourth-place finish at mid-July’s Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River.
In the 2020 St. Lawrence Elite — won by his brother Chris — Johnston suffered mechanical issues, which derailed what would likely have been a strong finish.
“It feels good to win one here,” Johnston said. “The U.S. side of this place has had my number. (Canadian waters were closed during both Elite events). It feels good to get the monkey off my back and I can’t wait to get back here for the Elite next year.”
With Canadian waters open this week, Johnston fished both sides of the river and Lake Ontario. Days 1 and 2 saw him starting in the river and working his way out to the lake. On Saturday, he committed to the latter and caught fish over various rock structure in 18 to 42 feet.
“I was about 20 miles out in the lake,” Johnston said. “I just had a milk run and I worked my way out. I started at the closest spot, worked my way out to the farthest spot and then came in. It’s pretty simple out here. I had the Garmin LiveScope going and just covering a lot of water.
“I spent my day in the lake today because the way the wind was blowing I could stay sheltered a little bit. There was a point way up the lake and that sheltered me a little. There were still 6-footers, they just weren’t 8s.”
Johnston caught his fish on a drop shot with a 3/8-ounce weight and a 4-inch prototype worm he and Chris are designing for SPRO on a No. 2 Gamakatsu G-Finesse hook.
“I was using Power-Pole Drift Paddles and they slow you down so much when you’re out there in the big water in 6-foot waves,” Johnston said. “You can just drift with the wind, use the Garmin and cover a lot of water.”
Climpson, who also makes his home in Cavan, backed up his opening limit with 22-7 on Day 2 and slipped to third. Stepping on the gas for Championship Saturday, he added 27-5 for a tournament total of 77-3.
Focusing on rocky bottom and boulders in 20 to 30 feet, Climpson caught his bass on a drop shot with a 3/4-ounce weight. Each day he had to rotate through several baits, including Johnston’s prototype worm and a Berkley GULP! Fry.
“I was seeing a lot of my fish on Garmin LiveScope and regular 2D sonar,” Climpson said. “I caught my big one (6-8) at the end of the day. It swam right under the boat, I dropped on it and caught it.”
Adam Neu of Forestville, Wis., finished third with 76-6. He placed 10th on Day 1 with 23-15, improved to fifth with 25-2 and closed out his performance with his biggest limit — 27-5, which included a 6-8.
Neu spent his final day at the mouth of the river near Cape Vincent. Focusing on a broad area of rocky structure in about 20 feet, he caught his fish on tubes rigged on a 3/8-ounce head.
“I was using green pumpkin in the morning and amber in the afternoon,” Neu said. “You could definitely tell when they wanted that switch because you could make two or three passes and never have a bite, then pick up the amber and on the next pass you catch them.
“That amber tube caught me two big ones in 10 minutes. That really made my day.”
Andrew Upshaw of Hemphill, Texas, won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with a 6-13.
With all three Northern Opens now in the books, Jonathan Kelley of Old Forge, Pa., claimed the Northern Open points title with 549 points. Mike Iaconelli of Pitts Grove, N.J., placed second with 549, followed by Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio with 549, J.T. Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with 520 and Coop Gallant of Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, with 512. In the Bassmaster Opens, ties in divisional points standings are broken using the cumulative weight from the full-field days of all three tournaments.
Jacob Powroznik of North Prince George, Va., leads the overall Falcons Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year standings with 1,029 points.
1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce and the Antique Boat Museum hosted the event.
2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Open at 1000 Islands 9/9-9/11
St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands, Clayton NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 78-00 200 $43,433.00
Day 1: 5 25-07 Day 2: 5 25-03 Day 3: 5 27-06
2. Cal Climpson Cavan CANADA 15 77-03 199 $20,853.00
Day 1: 5 27-07 Day 2: 5 22-07 Day 3: 5 27-05
3. Adam Neu Forestville, WI 15 76-06 198 $14,720.00
Day 1: 5 23-15 Day 2: 5 25-02 Day 3: 5 27-05
4. Coop Gallant Bowmanville CANADA 15 73-06 197 $12,267.00
Day 1: 5 27-00 Day 2: 5 25-02 Day 3: 5 21-04
5. Timmy Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 72-05 196 $10,672.00
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 5 26-05 Day 3: 5 23-11
6. Gary Adkins Green Bay, WI 15 72-05 195 $9,813.00
Day 1: 5 25-10 Day 2: 5 22-11 Day 3: 5 24-00
7. Chris Johnston Otonabee CANADA 15 71-03 194 $9,200.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 26-04 Day 3: 5 23-12
8. Dean Meckes Clayton, NY 15 65-08 193 $8,587.00
Day 1: 5 22-03 Day 2: 5 26-09 Day 3: 5 16-12
9. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 15 63-15 192 $6,747.00
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 24-06 Day 3: 5 14-13
10. Brad Leuthner Independence, MN 15 57-08 191 $5,520.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 24-09 Day 3: 5 10-14
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 06-13 $750.00
——————————
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 161 848 2929-13
2 139 781 2684-01
3 10 50 217-02
——————————
310 1679 5831-00
Wesley Strader Takes Early Group B Lead at MLF Bass Pro Tour CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft
Spring City, Tennessee Pro Catches 34 Bass Weighing 93 Pounds, 4 Ounces to Lead Group B’s Qualifying Round – Group A to Finish Qualifying Round Sunday
Link to Video Coverage of Day 1 at Lake St. Clair, Qualifying Group B
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ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (Sept. 11, 2021) – It was very different conditions for the 40 pro anglers competing Saturday in Group B at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. However, after the anglers had battled through the strong winds and the final bass had been tallied the results were remarkably similar to Friday, with an East-Tennessee angler sitting atop the leaderboard.
Pro Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tennessee, boated 34 bass weighing 93 pounds, 4 ounces, to grab the early lead in Group B after Day 1 of their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Strader will bring a 12-pound, 4-ounce lead into Group B’s Qualifying Round finale on Monday.
Right behind Strader in second place is Russellville, Arkansas pro Fred Roumbanis, who was near the top of the leaderboard for most of the day. Roumbanis boated 29 bass totaling 81 pounds even to finish the day. Rounding out the top three was Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, who caught 27 bass for 75-14 to end the day in third. Local pro Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Michigan, weighed 17 bass totaling 44-8 to rest in 5th place, while Kalamazoo’s Jonathon VanDam boated seven bass weighing 20 pounds even to sit in 23rd.
The 39 anglers in Group B will now have an off day on Sunday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will conclude their Qualifying Round on Monday. The six-day event, hosted by Macomb County, St. Clair Shores and the Detroit Sports Commission, showcases the 80 top professional bass-fishing anglers on the planet competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.
“Well, today has been a really, really good day,” Strader said in his post-game interview. “I really only needed about five of these Powell rods on my deck today and that was it.
“This morning I started out throwing a 3/8-ounce white (Z-Man) ChatterBait Jack Hammer with a Zoom Z-Swim behind it,” Strader said. “I threw that on a Powell Endurance 755 CB rod with a (Lew’s) Pro TI reel, spooled with 20-pound Sunline Sniper line. I also caught quite a few punching – I ran out of Zoom Z-Hogs. But I punched with a Powell Endurance 806 rod and a Lew’s Custom Pro reel, using 50-pound Sunline FX2 braided line, a 1½-ounce weight and a 5/0 TroKar TK130 hook.
“The thing that really got us going towards the end, though, was a Zoom Zlinky,” Strader continued. “I wacky-rigged it with a 2/0 Neko-style Trokar Hook and a 1/8-ounce Eagle Claw nail weight in the nose of it.
“All in all, I’ve got a couple of things figured out for Monday,” Strader went on to say. “I have a couple of areas that I couldn’t even get to today – it would have beat us to death with the wind. I also didn’t want to leave my fish biting. I’m excited to get back out there and see how it all shakes out.”
Second-place angler Fred Roumbanis also raved about the fun he had on the water Saturday, despite losing multiple key fish.
“I had an amazing day, despite the fish that I couldn’t get in the boat,” Roumbanis said. “I must have lost six 4- or 5-pounders today. But it was exciting – I almost gave up on the spot where I fished, but when I slowed down I really started catching them.
“I’ve got absolutely no complaints – I think I may have finally broken the curse that this place has had on me for all of these years,” Roumbanis went on to say. “I think I’m in great shape to make the Knockout Round – I’m just going to have to catch a couple of more fish. But man, it’d be so nice to win and automatically advance to the Championship Round. Wesley (Strader) and Zack (Birge) are crushing them, but I’m going to give those guys everything that I’ve got.”
The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Lake St. Clair are:
1st: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 34 bass, 93-4
2nd: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 29 bass, 81-0
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 27 bass, 75-14
4th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 23 bass, 65-3
5th: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., 17 bass, 44-8
6th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 14 bass, 41-0
7th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 14 bass, 39-14
8th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 13 bass, 39-10
9th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 14 bass, 39-5
10th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 12 bass, 37-8
11th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 13 bass, 34-8
12th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 11 bass, 33-10
13th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 13 bass, 33-0
14th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 10 bass, 31-3
15th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 12 bass, 31-1
16th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 11 bass, 30-0
17th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., eight bass, 29-7
18th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 28-6
19th: Cody Pike, Powhatan, Va., nine bass, 27-10
20th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., eight bass, 22-13
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 385 bass weighing 1,097 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 37 pros on Saturday.
Andy Morgan won Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 5-pound, 8-ounce largemouth bass that he flipped up during Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Lake St. Clair on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will take off from the 9-Mile Ramp, located in St. Clair Shores, at 8 a.m. ET each day of competition. The General Tire Takeout ceremonies will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5 p.m. each day. 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.
As part of the event fans will also be treated to the Bass, Brews & BBQ Festival at Blossom Heath Park in St. Clair Shores, on Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. The festival is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite Bass Pro Tour anglers, enjoy food and beverages from local food truck and St. Clair Shores Micro Breweries, watch the on-the-water action at the MLF watch party, shop at numerous MLF sponsor and local vendor booths, and enjoy live concerts from local musicians each day. For more information on the Bass, Brews & BBQ Festival hosted by Macomb County, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft 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 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 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 CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Nov. 13 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on 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.