Search
Subscribe
Thursday, December 25, 2025
Home Blog Page 571

Edwin Evers Paces Group B at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler

wpalert
-
0

Oklahoma Angler Catches 22 Bass Weighing 72 Pounds, 14 Ounces to Pace Group B, Group A Qualifying Round to Wrap Up Sunday

Link to Photo Gallery of Fish Catch Highlights from Day 1 at Lake Chickamauga, Qualifying Group B

DAYTON, Tenn. (June 5, 2021) – General Tire pro Edwin Evers of Talala, Oklahoma, caught 22 largemouth bass Saturday totaling 72 pounds, 14 ounces, to jump out to the early lead for Group B’s Day 1 Qualifying Round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by ATG by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. Evers will bring an 18-pound, 3-ounce lead over second-place pro Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who boated 22 bass worth 56-11.

The 40 anglers in Group B will have the day off on Sunday, while the 40 anglers 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 Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council, features 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

“Man, what a day. I just love offshore fishing,” said Evers, who finished in seventh place when the Bass Pro Tour last visited Lake Chickamauga in 2019. “I just kept bouncing around and covering water. We worked hard, today, and it worked out good. I’m not married to one particular spot. I feel like there are fish everywhere and they are constantly moving, so you just have to keep moving around until you find a school that’s active.”

Evers caught all of his bass offshore, between 14 and 20 feet of water. He credited his Lowrance electronics as being the key to his success, and said he caught his fish on two baits.

“The two main baits for me today were a (Berkley) Dredger 20.5 crankbait – I threw it on a 7-foot, 6-inc Bass Pro Shops Mag-Heavy Cranking rod with a 6:8:1 (Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris) Platinum (Signature) reel with 12-pound Bass Pro fluorocarbon line and just really blistered them on that,” Evers said. “A lot of fish this morning came on a 7-inch (Berkley PowerBait) MaxScent Hit Worm. I fished it on a Profound Outdoors Stand Up head, on a 7-foot, 3-inch, heavy-action (Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris) CarbonLite rod with a high-speed reel.

“I’m super excited about my start today. I just need to do it one more day, catch all that I can catch and put them on that SCORETRACKER. I’m looking forward to getting back out here on Monday,” Evers went on to say.

Also having a great day on the water Saturday was bass-fishing superstar Kevin VanDam, who had his best day of the season so far weighing in 56 pounds, 11 ounces to end the day in second place.

“For the kind of year that I’ve had up to now, it was a pretty solid day,” VanDam said. “I’ve had some really close calls this season – I’ve missed two cuts that I should have been in. This sport is all about decision-making, so it feels good to have a good start to this one. I’m going to try to not blow this opportunity.

“This tournament is setting up to be an incredible event. I think it’s going to be a really, really fun week. If you’re a fan of professional bass fishing, you’re going to see some fireworks at Lake Chickamauga this week. These fish are just coming out to the right areas, and it’s going to be a shootout come Championship Wednesday. I just hope I can make it there, because if I do, I will have a good chance,” VanDam said.

The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Lake Chickamauga are:

1st:           Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 23 bass, 74-14
2nd:          Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 22 bass, 56-11
3rd:          Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 15 bass, 53-14
4th:           Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Ark., 15 bass, 41-10
5th:           Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 13 bass, 34-12
6th:           Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 11 bass, 32-14
7th:           Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 11 bass, 31-8
8th:           Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 29-7
9th:           Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 11 bass, 27-3
10th:        Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., nine bass, 26-7
11th:        Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 23-2
12th:        Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, seven bass, 20-3
13th:        Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., seven bass, 19-14
14th:        Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 17-8
15th:        Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, six bass, 17-7
16th:        Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, six bass, 16-15
17th:        Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, five bass, 16-5
18th:        Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., six bass, 14-3
19th:        Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, six bass, 13-15
20th:        Shaw Grigsby, Gainesville, Fla., four bass, 13-15

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

Overall, there were 264 bass weighing 745 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the 40 pros on Saturday.

Evers won Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in an 8-pound, 9-ounce largemouth on the Berkley Dredger crankbait during Period 1. 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 MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler is hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Lake Chickamauga 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 Dayton Boat Dock, located at 175 Lakeshore St., in Dayton, at 6:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Dayton Boat Dock, beginning at 3:30 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 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 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 9 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.

Boomer Brings It Again on Harris Chain NPFL

wpalert
-
0
Boomer Brings It Again on Harris Chain NPFL

By Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons and Rob Connors

Day one leader Jake Boomer followed up his 20-pounds, 10-ounces bag with 19-pounds, 13 ounces to remain the tournament leader going into the Showdown Saturday. His two-day total of 40-pounds, 7-ounces gives him a 5-ounce cushion over the second-place angler David Gaston.

On live coverage today, it appeared Boomer was not having the day he was looking for but a late day adjustment got him back on track.

“I basically had nothing, maybe 12-pounds or something at around 1pm. I was fishing shallow like everyone else and it was tough. I was catching 2-pounders and they were not helping.

The sun finally peaked as the day went on and the Spokane Valley, WA angler knew he had to make a move and get back to catching.

“I went to the closest offshore spot to where I was fishing shallow and I got three bites quick. I figured I would keep my big fish area honest and was able to catch three big ones quick and they all culled big. I saw something when I got out there that clued me in and I made the adjustment and got those key fish.”

Boomer knows he needs big ones tomorrow to seal the deal and it all depends on the weather.

“Tomorrow I need to sun to peak and get them set up right. I know I can go and get a limit but I have to go after bigger fish. I’ll keep them honest in the morning and do my thing.”

In the 2nd spot, David Gaston rode his shallow frog game and three big bites to bring the tournaments biggest bag to the scales. His 8-pound, 6-ounce lunker anchored a 22-pound, 2-ounce bag to jump him 8 spots. Gaston made a major adjustment the in the morning of day one and his gut feeling paid off thus far, giving him a two-day total of 40-pounds, 2-ounces.

“I have never been to this spot ever. The first morning I put all my rods away because I planned on fishing off shore. I found some fish the last day of practice and thought I could catch 12-pounds a day but I put my rods away, pulled out that frog and never looked back.”

Gaston’s area in a lake to be revealed tomorrow, is a shallow area with a mix of grasses and has a population of quality bass. After a slow first hour, Gaston went to work on day one and backed it up big time today with several quality bass on the Live Broadcast.

“I went to the same place as yesterday, the same bait, the same everything. I caught two big ones, including the 8-6, and then filled a limit. I lost a 7-pounder today which would have given me a mega bag and a 6-pounder yesterday that would have given me 21-pounds on day one. I left the area alone to save it for tomorrow and it’s lining up to be good.”

Gaston is referring to the weather, which looks like it might throw the NPFL anglers a curveball on the final day. With a long day tomorrow, Gaston is planning to settle into his area and milk it for all its worth.

“I don’t know if I will even get a bite tomorrow but who knows. The weather is going to be a perfect storm, little breeze and some thunderstorms, I think it’s going to help my bite. I did catch more little fish today which I was surprised about but if I can get 3 big bites tomorrow, I have a shot. I am going to just go and do what I like to do and see what happens.”

John Soukup rallied on day two with 21-pounds, 5-ounces to give him a two-day total of 39-pounds, 5-ounces. Sitting in the 3rd spot, the Lake Eufaula Champion relied on a 6-pound, 5-ounce lunker to anchor his bag of quality bass.

Soukup was seen on Live Coverage talking to Fat Cat Newton and had around 15-pounds mid-day throwing a frog around shallow.

California’s Bryant Smith is running a program which includes a shallow reaction bite in the morning and then settling into a flipping bite as the day progresses. Smith brought 18-pounds, 2-ounces to the scales to give him a two-day total of 36-pounds, 14-ounces, which has him in 4th.

“I am fishing that shallow stuff until about 9:30am or when they stop biting and then getting to flipping. I weighed 3 fish from the morning today and had about 14-pounds when I stopped. I caught one flipping and one on a topwater later in the day to catch my bag.”

Smith visited Harris Chain after the Wright Patman event but spent his time learning how to navigate. Both days, the Roseville, California angler is fishing areas he found in practice but was pleasantly surprised to find the quality of bass.

“It’s surprising me every day and I am just going fishing. I knew I could catch some fish doing the early morning stuff and had no idea how it was going to go (yesterday or today) other than I knew I could go and get some bites. It got a little tougher today cause the sun was not out much. That positioned them for me better yesterday and today they were more spread out.”

In 5th place, River Lee stays in the hunt after bringing 16-pounds, 9-ounces to the scales on day two. Lacking a big bite, Lee continued catching quality fish and goes into the final day with a two-day total of 36-pounds, 5-ounces.

“Man, the quality fish was better today but my biggest fish was only 3.5-pounds or so. One 6 or 7-pounder would have given me 20 ish again.”

Sticking to his game plan, Lee caught one good fish first thing fishing around his Kissimmee grass areas and then settled into flipping for the remainder of the day.

“I really came into this event looking to get a check. I didn’t think I was in a spot to win until day one but after what happened at Wright Patman, it’s a good feeling to have this kind of event.”

River told OTW Cameraman Tanner Lyons on day one that he wanted to be offshore, but had to settle into the shallow game. River shed some more light on what he meant.

“I am really comfortable offshore, I am a better offshore angler, but I don’t mind flipping. It’s still power fishing so I don’t mind it, but I looked offshore cause I thought that is how this event would play out. I projected wrong, but I adjusted and I love it either way.”

See the Full Leaderboard, here.

Best of the Rest:

6th Dale Prinkey 36-pounds, 4-ounces

7th Deejay Evans 35-pounds, 5-ounces

8th Jim Jones 33-pounds, 13-ounces

9th Bobby Lanham 33-pounds, 11-ounces

10th Keith Carson 33-pounds, 5-ounces

OFFICIAL LEADERBOARD

Tennessee’s Grimm Moves into Lead at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented By T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented By TINCUP

wpalert
-
0
Tennessee’s Grimm Moves into Lead at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented By T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented By TINCUP

Choo Choo Division Boater Takes 3-Ounce Lead into Final Day, Arkansas’ Melinda Hays Leads Co-angler Division – Looking to Become First Female All-American Champion

[print_link]

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. (June 4, 2021) – Forty-nine of the best weekend boaters and Strike King co-anglers from across the country continued their three-day competition Friday in Dandridge, Tennessee, for a top prize of $120,000 at the 38th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake presented by TINCUP.

After starting the day in ninth place, Church Hill, Tennessee, boater Brant Grimm weighed a 19-pound, 1-ounce limit – the largest limit so far in the event – to vault to the top of the leaderboard with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 5 ounces. Day 1 leader, Leslie Brandenburg of Springfield, Missouri, fell to second place with a limit of bass weighing 13-12, good for a two-day total of 32-2.

The field is now cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers as they prepare to head out Saturday for the third and final day of competition.

“My game plan today was the exact same as yesterday – deep cranking,” said Grimm, who lives just over an hour away from Douglas Lake. “I’ve fished this lake my whole life. I fished the exact same stuff (as yesterday). My fish bit a little better today than they did yesterday, and we had a great day.

“I caught a lot of fish, but I never could cull,” Grimm continued. “I caught most of my weight pretty early, then I just kept catching 3-pounders and couldn’t cull.”

Grimm said that he hit several holes, deep-cranking a Strike King 6XD. He said that he wasn’t really running a rotation of spots, but rather running whatever he could get to. With only 10 competitors on the water tomorrow, the prime areas should be a bit more open going forth.

“The community holes are definitely at play, but I had a couple of places that were a little sneakier than average,” Grimm said.

With just a 3-ounce cushion separating Grimm from the pack, Grimm plans to stick to his game plan and hopes he can earn the biggest victory of his career tomorrow.

“I’m ready. I’m ready to go. We could go right now,” Grimm said. “I am very excited – I’ve been waiting for this event for a long time. I haven’t been able to sleep for months. But I’m going to sleep well tonight. I’m ready to go get them.”

The top 10 boaters advancing to the final day of competition on Douglas Lake are:

1st:          Brant Grimm, Church Hill, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-5
2nd:         Leslie Brandenburg, Springfield, Mo., 10 bass, 32-2
3rd:         Blake Tomlin, Greenville, Ga., 10 bass, 31-1
4th:         Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., 10 bass, 29-7
5th:         Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 27-10
6th:         Austin Culbertson, Moberly, Mo., 10 bass, 26-13
7th:         Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., 10 bass, 26-12
8th:         Chris Nelson, Social Circle, Ga., 10 bass, 26-12
9th:         Harmon Davis, Marlow, Okla., 10 bass, 26-11
10th:       Dale Pelfrey, Rockwood, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-14

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 235 bass weighing 524 pounds, 6 ounces, caught by 49 boaters Friday. The catch included 41 five-bass limits.

Melinda Hays of Hot Springs, Arkansas, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division with 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 14 ounces, followed by Daniel Buswell Jr. of Fayetteville, Georgia, in second place with 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 6 ounces. If victorious tomorrow, Hays would become the first female angler to ever win the All-American Championship.

The final 10 Strike King co-anglers are:

1st:          Melinda Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 23-14
2nd:         Daniel Buswell Jr., Fayetteville, Ga., 10 bass, 23-6
3rd:         Rex Henry, Knoxville, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-0
4th:         Rod MacKinnon III, Middletown, N.Y., nine bass, 22-14
5th:         Chase Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 22-0
6th:         Travis Garrett, Little Rock, Ark., 10 bass, 21-10
7th:         James Jarvis, West Frankfort, Ill., 10 bass, 20-11
8th:         Ken Coats, Greenup, Ill., 10 bass, 19-11
9th:         Andrew Starnes, Chapin, S.C., 10 bass, 19-2
10th:       Dustin Elrod, Jasper, Ga.., 10 bass, 18-7

Overall, there were 192 bass weighing 356 pounds, 10 ounces, caught by 48 Strike King co-anglers Friday. The catch included 27 five-bass limits.

The final 10 All-American boaters and Strike King co-anglers will take off from the Dandridge Boat Dock, located at 100 Public Drive in Dandridge, at 7 a.m. ET Saturday. Saturday’s final Championship Weigh-in will also be held at the dock at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend or follow the event online through daily coverage, live blogs and photos at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented by TINCUP is hosted by Visit Jefferson County TN.

Live weigh-in coverage will be streamed daily on MajorLeagueFishing.com. Television coverage of the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented by TINCUP will premiere on the Sportsman Channel Sept. 29, 2021, and on the Outdoor Channel on Oct. 3, 2021.

The 2021 All-American features field of the top 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers from across the 24-division Bass Fishing League and The Bass Federation, all competing for a grand prize of up to $120,000 in the boater division, including the lucrative $20,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency award, and $50,000 in the Strike King co-angler division.

Additionally, the highest-finishing boater and Strike King co-angler from each of the seven Regional Championships (including the Wild Card) and the TBF National Championship at the All-American will advance to the 2021 Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 and $33,500, respectively.

The full field of anglers competed on Thursday and Friday, with only the top 10 boaters and top 10 co-anglers based on their two-day cumulative weight now continuing to Championship Saturday. The 2021 All-American champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

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.

Russ Lane Dominates Opening Day at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler

wpalert
-
0
Russ Lane Dominates Opening Day at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler

Alabama Pro Leads with 23 Bass Weighing 70 Pounds, 12 Ounces After Day 1 of Qualifying Round Group A– Group B to Compete Saturday

Link to Photo Gallery of Fish Catch Highlights from Day 1 at Lake Chickamauga, Qualifying Group A

DAYTON, Tenn. (June 4, 2021) – It was the best opening day of the season at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by ATG by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. The 40 pros in Group A caught a single-day total of 271 bass weighing 806 pounds, 10 ounces, Thursday – the heaviest weight caught on any Day 1 so far this season.

B&W Trailer Hitches pro Russ Lane of Prattville, Alabama, was firmly in control of the Group A leaderboard after Day 1 concluded, catching 23 bass totaling 70 pounds,12 ounces, to grab the early lead in the two-day Group A Qualifying Round. The six-day event, hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council, features 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

Lane will bring a 21-pound, 6-ounce, lead into Sunday’s second day of competition for Group A. Berkley pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, the reigning Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year (AOY),  caught 13 bass weighing 49-6 to end the day in second place. Michie, Tennessee’s Jason Lambert sits in third place after a 34-pound third period rally, just 1-ounce behind Lee with at total of 17 bass weighing 49-5.

The 40 anglers in Group A will now enjoy a day off Saturday, while the 40 anglers in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A resumes competition on Sunday.

“Man, what a day,” said Lane in his post-game interview from the water. “It is so much fun out here when things go right, and they really did today. I’ve got around a 20-pound lead and that is rare territory for me. I’m just enjoying the moment right now and I cannot wait to get back out here again for Day 2.”

Lane said that he mainly targeted Chickamauga’s offshore hydrilla beds and grass flats.

“I’m around them. There are a lot of good ones under the hydrilla, I just have to cover a lot of water,” Lane continued. “I caught them on a ¾-ounce ChatterBait with a little Big Bite (Baits) (Kamikaze) Swimon trailer with the tails cut down to make it have a little less action so the bait would get down deeper. I had 16-pound-test Sunline Sniper line spooled on a 7:1 (Shimano) Curado reel, and that setup has been doing some work today.”

Reigning AOY Jordan Lee has struggled so far this season and has not made it out of the Qualifying Rounds. But, after a productive day Thursday, it looks like the 30-year-old Alabamian may have broken out of his slump.

“It was a really good day for me,” Lee said. “I made some good decisions and things were just going right for me this morning. I haven’t made a cut yet this year, so to get off to a good start today feels really good.

“I caught some nice ones early and then just kept the ball rolling, picking up a few here and there all day. I mixed in a lot of different summertime, Tennessee River, ledge baits – cranking, a hair jig, and a Berkley (Havoc) Bottom Hopper. These fish here get a lot of pressure, so it was important to get off to a good start. Now, we’ll regroup and get after them again on Sunday.”

The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Lake Chickamauga are:

1st:           Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., 23 bass, 70-12
2nd:          Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 13 bass, 49-6
3rd:          Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 17 bass, 49-5
4th:           Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 17 bass, 44-8
5th:           Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 11 bass, 38-14
6th:           Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., eight bass, 31-11
7th:           Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 29-12
8th:           Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., nine bass, 27-5
9th:           Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 26-2
10th:        Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, nine bass, 23-5
11th:        Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., eight bass, 22-13
12th:        Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., eight bass, 21-10
13th:        Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., seven bass, 21-4
14th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., eight bass, 20-8
15th:        Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., seven bass, 20-4
16th:        Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 20-4
17th:        Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., seven bass, 19-5
18th:        Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., six bass, 19-4
19th:        Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., five bass, 18-13
20th:        Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., seven bass, 18-12

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

Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Oklahoma, won Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in an 8-pound, 7-ounce largemouth on a Carolina rig during Period 1. 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 MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler is hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Lake Chickamauga 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 Dayton Boat Dock, located at 175 Lakeshore St., in Dayton, at 6:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Dayton Boat Dock, beginning at 3:30 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 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 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 9 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.

Mystery Surrounds Bassmaster Classic On Lake Ray Roberts

wpalert
-
0
Mystery Surrounds Bassmaster Classic On Lake Ray Roberts

Lake Ray Roberts near Fort Worth, Texas, will host the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk June 11-13, 2021.  

Photo by B.A.S.S.

June 4, 2021
Mystery Surrounds Bassmaster Classic On Lake Ray Roberts

[print_link]

FORT WORTH, Texas — Brandon Palaniuk says the 54-angler field for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will arrive at Lake Ray Roberts with far more questions than answers.

Such is the case when a tournament is held three months later than expected.

Originally scheduled for March 19-21, the annual Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing was postponed due to pandemic-related restrictions on large gatherings until June 11-13. Takeoffs will be held each day at 6:15 a.m. CT from Ray Roberts State Park – Isle du Bois Unit in Pilot Point, Texas, and weigh-ins will be held each day at 4 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.

Palaniuk says the event, which features a total purse of $1 million and pays $300,000 to the winner, will feature as much intrigue as any Classic in recent memory.

“I went and I prepracticed, mostly for navigational reasons,” said Palaniuk, the veteran Elite Series pro from Rathdrum, Idaho. “I was expecting to have to go to the backs of certain coves and sloughs, and that’s not always easy on Ray Roberts because it’s a tough lake to run.

“I don’t know if that’s where the fish will be now — I don’t think anyone does. It looks like nobody’s going to have a clue what’s going on.”

Mystery will indeed be the chief theme as the anglers descend on the 29,350-acre north Texas fishery.

For one, since B.A.S.S. has never held a major event on Ray Roberts, many of the competitors have either never fished the lake or only spent minimal time there during prepractice or events held by other organizations. Plus, the water level is more than 3 feet above normal pool at the moment and not likely to stay there.

“My guess is we’re either going to have rising or falling water,” Palaniuk said. “There’s really no reason they would stabilize the water at 2 to 3 feet high and leave it there. Any time you have that, it’s going to change the fish.

“Guys will have to get an idea of what stage the fish are in, how they’re positioning, and then pay attention to how they’re adapting to the changing conditions.”

Conventional wisdom could also be out the window in terms of early-summer timing since Texas, like many states around the country, has had a mild spring after a particularly harsh winter. Palaniuk says more lakes were frozen over in Texas during mid-March than in his home state of Idaho, and that has put the traditional stages of prespawn, spawn and postspawn far behind.

He said the Bassmaster Elite Series event held in late April on Lake Fork was a prime example of Texas timing run amok.

“Fork was way behind when we were there,” he said. “I talked to a buddy of mine after the event, and he said there were more big fish spawning at Fork than he’s ever seen, long after we were gone. That alone tells me things are behind 100%.”

With little known about Ray Roberts, Fork has been a common comparison for bass fishing fans hoping to get an idea of what the Classic will be like. But despite some similarities, the lakes are vastly different.

While Fork has a stringent slot limit designed to grow scads of trophy bass, Ray Roberts has more relaxed restrictions with a 14-inch minimum limit on largemouth. It’s still blessed with big bass, but not as many as its trophy-rich Texas cousin.

“Ray Roberts doesn’t have the population of 3- to 5-pounders that Fork has,” said Palaniuk, who has five Elite Series victories and a Bassmaster Angler of the Year title to his credit. “It’s got quite a few 8- to 10-pounders, I think. So, it may be a deal where a guy gets six bites in a day and has 28 pounds.

“I honestly think a guy could win the Classic without having a limit every day if he’s getting the right bites. You could catch four for 20 or 21 pounds. It’s definitely doable there.”

Like Fork, Ray Roberts is loaded with standing timber that will add another air of mystery to the event. Sometimes simply getting from Point A to Point B without wrecking your equipment can be a challenge.

“On scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, the lower lake is like a 3 to navigate — not that bad at all,” Palaniuk said. “But once you go up in the top three quarters of the lake, it’s like an 8 or 9. If you’re sitting there thinking, ‘I’m just gonna run back to the back of that pocket,’ it’s not happening.

“There are no boat lanes. Nothing’s been cut by TPWD (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department). You just have to create your own trails.”

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Matt Herren, who actually won the Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Ray Roberts in 2016, knew the dangers of exploring Ray Roberts — and he took extreme measures to protect his equipment when he pre-fished there last winter.

“I borrowed my son’s boat,” Herren said, laughing. “It is definitely a place where you can tear up not only a lower unit, but your prop, your hull — pretty much everything you’ve got.”

Palaniuk said he believes it will take an average of 20 pounds per day to have a chance to win, and the angler who separates himself from the pack might be the one who has a single earth-shattering day with a bag in the 28- to 30-pound range.

The full field will fish the first two days, and then the Top 25 will advance to Championship Sunday for a chance at the $300,000 first-place prize and the more-than-50-pound trophy that represents one of the biggest accomplishments in pro sports.

Whatever happens, fans can catch all of the action with streaming coverage all three days on Bassmaster.com. For the first time in history, the Classic will also feature four hours of live coverage on the FOX broadcast network Saturday beginning at 7 a.m. CT, as well as four hours of Championship Sunday coverage on FS1 beginning at 7 a.m.

The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be held June 11 from noon-7 p.m., June 12 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and June 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Exhibitors will be on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. As part of the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, the Go Out{side} Experience will offer fun options for families, including inflatable archery, cornhole, jumping dogs and knot tying. Kids can even catch their first fish at an on-site catfish pond.

The Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk is being hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth.

2021 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2021 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Huk Performance Fishing Apparel
2021 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2021 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster Classic Local Sponsors: Anderson Merchandisers, T-Mobile, TNT Fireworks

2021 Bassmaster Classic Hosts: Fort Worth Sports Commission, Visit Fort Worth

The Bass Cast Weekend Update for June 4th 2021

wpalert
-
0
The Bass Cast Weekend Update for June 4th 2021

Boomer Bashes them on the Harris Chain – NPFL

wpalert
-
0
Boomer Bashes them on the Harris Chain – NPFL

By Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons and Bodega Media Group

Jake Boomer brought the heaviest bag of bass to the scales at the Harris Chain to grab the day one lead. With 20-pounds, 10-ounces, Boomer leads a field which saw three 20+ pound bags and several big bass weighed-in.

Respectively, the Spokane Valley, WA pro wanted to keep his program on the downlow at least for now. Boomer noted he knew the potential was there but didn’t really know what he had until he got to his spot this morning.

“I had about 10 bites total today and it was a big-time grind. Basically, my day boils down to the fact I made 3 good decisions and caught some key fish.”

Boomer is confident going into day two but knows anything can happen, especially with a live camera tomorrow.

“I didn’t know the quality in my areas really and I just rotated between a chatterbait and a worm and fished a little of everything today.”

Bobby Lanham

With a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass to anchor his day, Bobby Lanham caught five fish for 20-pounds, 7-ounces to finish the day in 2nd place. Lanham caught some quality fish in practice and was keying in on a mix of shallow grass.

“I was fishing shallow and was keying in on isolated shallow grass. I had some idea I was going to catch them today because I had some good bites doing this same thing in practice.”

With stable weather conditions throughout the week, The Cave Creek, Arizona pro found fish grouped up and marked a lot more similar stuff like it. Looking ahead, Lanham is confident in his program and thinks he can duplicate tomorrow.

“I marked 20 waypoints in practice and only used two of them today. I caught most of my weight off the first spot this morning and ended up catching a big one and culled twice on the other spot. I am doing a mix of things and am putting my St. Croix rods to work with a flipping bait and a spinnerbait. My smallest was about 3.5-pounds and I culled probably 4 to 5 times all day.

John Cox

John Cox may not have known exactly what his areas would produce going into the day, but the Carrollton, Georgia pro got off to a good start bringing 20-pounds, 1-ounce to the scales to finish the day in the 3rd place spot.

“I didn’t know exactly what to expect this morning other than I had a good possibility of catching some fish. I got a lot of bites in practice this week but I shook them off and had my hook covered so I didn’t get a good look at them.”

Cox wanted to keep the key details about his pattern quiet until later in the week, but noted he was fishing some changes in the grass and had a few stretches of Kissimmee grass with less than 2-foot of water on them where he caught a lot of his fish.

“Once I figured out what was going on, in practice I ran around everywhere looking for the same type of stuff. I hope I can duplicate tomorrow but I am mixing between a flipping bite and a reaction bite.”

Dale Prinkey

In the 4th spot, Dale Prinkey relied on his electronics to bring in 19-pounds, 7-ounces of Harris Chain bass to the scales on day one. The Warren, Ohio pro was happy to find some of the areas from practice still had fish.

“I just went and fished a place from practice this morning and got to catching them. I was rotating between flipping and power fishing techniques and mainly shallow.”

Prinkey, like the others, had some keys to his success and noted he got dialed in on something a little different than some of the other guys.

“I was fishing shallow and around that Kissimmee grass but I was looking for depth changes. I caught two good fish in practice doing it and then just spent a lot of time idling to find more stuff like it.”

River Lee

In 5th place, River Lee went to work early in the day to bring 19-pounds, 2-ounces to the scales. Fishing comfortably doing what he likes, Lee stuck with his shallow game plan and rode it all day to finish the day in the top five.

“I had one thing, and I just stuck with it. I was flipping the Kissimmee grass just trying to catch 13 to 15-pounds and survive this event. I wanted to fish offshore but knew I had to do this to get a solid bag.”

Always learning on the water, the Nacogdoches, Texas pro got onto a bite first thing this morning he believes will help him keep the momentum going for the next two days.

“I learned my flipping bite doesn’t really get good until around 9AM, but I figured out how to catch them around the same stuff before then. When I do get to flipping, I am just covering water and flipping a pretty heavy weight.”

Robert Terkla holds the overall big bass weighing an 8-2 lunker bass caught on live coverage this morning.

Best of the Rest:

6th Robert Terkla 19-pounds, 0-ounces

7th Keith Carson 18-pounds, 14-ounces

8th Bryant Smith 18-pounds, 12-ounces

9th Marc Schilling 18-pounds, 6-ounces

10th David Gaston 18-pounds, 0-ounces

DAY ONE LEADERBOARD

Missouri’s Brandenburg Leads Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented By T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented By TINCUP

wpalert
-
0
Missouri’s Brandenburg Leads Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented By T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented By TINCUP
[print_link]

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. (June 3, 2021) – Boater Leslie Brandenburg of Springfield, Missouri, grabbed the early lead Thursday at the 38th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake presented by TINCUP with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces. Behind Brandenburg in second place is Rutherfordton, North Carolina’s Cody Hoyle, who brought five bass to the scale good for 15 pounds, 11 ounces.

Brandenburg said that he spent the majority of the day fishing the upper end of the lake, in the river, flipping a jig to a countless number of bushes.

“I’ve only been here one other time – I was a co-angler, and we went up that river and I won a check that time,” said Brandenburg, who is fishing in his 18th career event as a boater in MLF competition. “Sometimes, it just works out and maybe it’s God’s plan. I hope. We’ll know tomorrow. You dang sure can’t win it the first day but you can lose it. Hopefully I can turn this good start into a Top 10.”

One advantage that Brandenburg has this week is his custom-designed boat, made for getting into places that others can’t.

“I brought a boat that I built. It’s an aluminum Xpress. It’s got a hydraulic jack plate, and I built it purposely to get to places where other people can’t go. It’s a rugged old boat and I’m not afraid to tear it up to go catch them,” Brandenburg said. “I’ve got a lot more places to fish, and I think I’ve got enough to carry me through.”

With sunnier conditions being forecast for Friday, Brandenburg is realistic about his chances of weighing in another big bag but said that he does like his chances in what could be a tough day of fishing.

“I don’t think I can have that kind of weight again, but I think I can have a good sack,” the Missouri boater went on to say. “I think I can weigh 12 pounds. If I get lucky and get a good fish or two, I really think I can come in with 12 or 13 pounds a day the next two days and I think I can [win] it.”

The top 10 boaters after day one on Douglas Lake are:

1st:          Leslie Brandenburg, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 18-6
2nd:         Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., five bass, 15-11
3rd:         Blake Tomlin, Greenville, Ga., five bass, 15-7
3rd:         Kyle Kitts, Joplin, Mo., five bass, 14-13
5th:         Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 14-12
6th:         Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., five bass, 14-4
7th:         Austin Culbertson, Moberly, Mo., five bass, 14-2
8th:         Eric Olliverson, Lampe, Mo., five bass, 13-12
9th:         Brant Grimm, Church Hill, Tenn., five bass, 13-4
10th:       Harmon Davis, Marlow, Okla., five bass, 13-1

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 239 bass weighing 537 pounds, 12 ounces, caught by 49 boaters Thursday. The catch included 46 five-bass limits.

Rod MacKinnon III of Middletown, New York, leads the Co-angler Division with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces, followed by Chase Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, in second place with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers are:

1st:          Rod MacKinnon III, Middletown, N.Y., four bass, 13-6
2nd:         Chase Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., five bass, 11-8
3rd:         Lenny Bays, Bethel Island, Calif., five bass, 11-6
4th:         James Jarvis, Athens, Ga., five bass, 11-5
4th:         Rex Henry, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 11-5
6th:         Chris Gebhardt, Shelbyville, Ind., five bass, 10-13
7th:         Dustin Elrod, Cushing, Okla., five bass, 10-9
8th:         Ken Coats, Greenup, Ill., five bass, 10-7
9th:         Travis Garrett, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 10-2
10th:       Dax Liner, Eddyville, Ky., five bass, 9-13

Overall, there were 203 bass weighing 353 pounds, 9 ounces, caught by 49 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included 28 five-bass limits.

All-American competitors will take off from the Dandridge Boat Dock, located at 100 Public Drive in Dandridge, at 7 a.m. ET each morning, June 3-5. Weigh-in will also be held at the dock at 3:30 p.m. daily. Fans are welcome to attend or follow the event online through daily coverage, live blogs and photos at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented by TINCUP is hosted by Visit Jefferson County TN.

Live weigh-in coverage will be streamed daily on MajorLeagueFishing.com. Television coverage of the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American at Douglas Lake Presented by TINCUP will premiere on the Sportsman Channel Sept. 29, 2021, and on the Outdoor Channel on Oct. 3, 2021.

The 2021 All-American features field of the top 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers from across the 24-division Bass Fishing League and The Bass Federation, all competing for a grand prize of up to $120,000 in the boater division, including the lucrative $20,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency award, and $50,000 in the Strike King co-angler division.

Additionally, the highest-finishing boater and Strike King co-angler from each of seven Regional Championships (including the Wild Card) and the TBF National Championship at the All-American will advance to the 2021 Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 and $33,500, respectively.

The full field of anglers compete on Thursday and Friday, with only the top 10 boaters and top 10 co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to Championship Saturday. The 2021 All-American champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

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.

Lake Hamilton Selected to Host 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship

wpalert
-
0
Lake Hamilton Selected to Host 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship

39th Annual Grassroots Bass-Fishing Championship to be held in Hot Springs for Record Sixth Time

[print_link]

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (June 3, 2021) – Major League Fishing, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced Thursday that the 39th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held on Arkansas’ Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 2022. The tournament, scheduled for June 2-4, 2022, will showcase the nation’s best weekend anglers and award the winner up to $120,000 cash.

The three-day, no-entry-fee-championship hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs is the sixth All-American to be held in Hot Springs – a record for the most times a city has hosted the event. It will provide an estimated $1 million economic impact to the region.

“The entire Hot Springs community is proud to have been selected as the host city for the 39th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American in 2022,” said Steve Arrison, Visit Hot Springs CEO. “Hot Springs loves pro fishing and bringing the tournament back to Lake Hamilton for the fifth time is a real testament to our city’s ability to make the anglers feel welcome, while also providing the opportunity for them to have a great time on and off the water.

“Aside from the million-dollar economic impact that the All-American will bring to the city, the people of Hot Springs are simply great fans of the excitement that the event brings to town. We love the weigh-ins and the entertainment that surrounds the tournament and participants – we can’t wait to host the event again in 2022.”

The championship was previously held on Lake Hamilton in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2008 and on DeGray Lake, also in the region, in 2010.

“We are thrilled to bring the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American back to Lake Hamilton,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF executive vice president and general manager. “We’ve had great success hosting tournaments in Hot Springs over the years and the community excitement coupled with the competitive fishery has made bringing our All-American championship there an obvious choice.”

As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the Phoenix Bass Fishing League is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour. Former All-American champions who currently compete on the Bass Pro Tour and the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit include Shaw Grigsby (1984), Stephen Browning (1996), Troy Morrow (2010), Jacob Wheeler (2011), Kerry Milner (2013), Jeremy Lawyer (2016) and Nick LeBrun (2018).

The 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The complete schedule and rules for the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine season will be announced this fall. The full schedule and rules will be posted online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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.

Family Affair at Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American

wpalert
-
0
Family Affair at Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American

Photo courtesy of Jody White / Phoenix Bass Fishing League

Family Affair at Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American

Fitzpatrick father and son face the field together at fabled grassroots showdown on Douglas Lake 

PARK FALLS, Wisc. (June 3, 2021) – The best boaters and co-anglers from MLF’s grassroots ranks will compete on Douglas Lake, June 3-5 in the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American Presented by TINCUP. One of the longest-running championships in bass fishing, this year’s All-American returns to its traditional early summer timeslot for a showdown in the mountains of East Tennessee.

The stakes will be high on Douglas Lake, as the field’s 98 qualifying anglers are all competing for a grand prize of up to $120,000 in the boater division, including a lucrative $20,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency award, and $50,000 in the Strike King co-angler division. Additionally, the highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each of seven Regional Championships (including the Wild Card) and the TBF National Championship at the All-American will advance to the 2021 Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 and $33,500, respectively.

St Croix pro and Phoenix Bass Fishing League veteran, Roger Fitzpatrick, is no stranger to the All-American. This weekend’s event will be the Eldon, Missouri pro’s eighth, going back to 2001 when he finished third on Lake Hamilton. What’s new, however, is that this year he’ll be sharing his boat with his son, Chase Fitzpatrick. Both anglers qualified for the All-American field by virtue of standout performances at the Regional on Table Rock Lake last October.

“Chase has been able to travel and practice with me at several previous All-Americans and those have been special times,” says Roger. “But now he’s qualified to fish in his first one. It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m incredibly proud of him.”

A junior at the University of Missouri, Chase plans to join the school’s bass fishing team in the fall. “I didn’t really start fishing BFLs until I was 18, because I was doing so much in high school with sports,” he says. “Last year was the first year I really tried to make the Regional. To be able to do so well in it and qualify for the All-American with my dad is really awesome.”

In addition to his father, Chase has other significant fishing influences in his family. “I’ve been around fishing my entire life, and I’ve always looked up to dad as a fisherman. My Uncle Dennis (St. Croix pro, Dennis Berhorst) has earned a lot of success fishing professionally, and my Uncle Wayne (Wayne Fitzpatrick) used to fish a lot of tournaments, too. I’ve got a lot of family that fish. I’ve grown up around it and I love it.”

Chase says he’s excited to be able to fish a tournament like the All-American, and the fact that he’s fishing with his dad makes it even more special. “I’m pretty excited,” he says. “I just hope I can put some in the boat.”

The father and son duo practiced at Lake Douglas all this week. Of course, they found some fish and some patterns, despite the elder Fitzpatrick nursing a torn tendon in his left arm. “A lot of people don’t have the opportunity to spend much time with their parents, especially their father,” says Chase. “Yesterday alone we fished for 12 hours together. To be able to have a hobby you both enjoy and spend that much time together, to grow closer together and have fellowship, that’s just an awesome opportunity. God has really blessed us.”

Photo courtesy of Jody White / Phoenix Bass Fishing League
1...570571572...1,534Page 571 of 1,534

Follow Us

The latest

Bradley Day & Justin Raines win CATT Lake Hartwell with 5 bass weighing 20.92 lbs!

CATT Lake Hartwell 0
Next and last SC Upstate CATT Qualifier is Jan...

Paul King & Buddy Weatherington win the 2025 Neuse River Fall Final with 5 bass weighing 14.07

CATT Neuse River 0
The 2026 Chowan River CATT Championship will take place...

Shawn Holland & Aaron Scott Win CATT Smith Mountain Lake Championship with 23.03 lbs

CATT Smith Mountain Lake 0
CLICK TO SEE RESULTS https://youtu.be/deSk1C1fA0k (adsbygoogle...

© 2023 The Bass Cast. All Rights Reserved.