Next and last 2024 Tidewater Spring Qualifier is May 11th at the Chowan River out of Shoups! You only have to enter 1 Qualifier to be eligible to enter the Final!
To view the Tidewater Points, go to the Tidewater Division page and scroll all the way down!
Well, the weathermen pulled one over on the anglers fishing the fourth tournament of the CATT Tidewater Division on the Perquimans River today. The forecast was for 6-8 mph winds with 12 mph gusts and for the guys that ran out of the Perquimans River this morning I’m sure they would agree with me in saying they got that WRONG! Quite a few teams made or tried to run out of the river this morning in search of a winning bag of bass. Some were successful, some thought twice, and a couple chose not to return at all. The team of Brian Meadows and Michael Evans chose to stay and maximize their fishing time which turned out to be the right decision. The result was a winning limit of river largemouth weighing in at 20.93 lbs earning them a $2300 payday. Andrew George wrapped up a second-place finish fishing solo with 19.70 lbs. Randy Broughman continued his hot streak after winning the Elite 70 last weekend by partnering with Ryan Broughman to weigh in 19.67 lbs which included the big fish of the tournament weighing 7.52 lbs and seal the deal on a third-place finish. The following teams rounded out the money winners.
4th Tim Fallon/Richard Griswold 15.24 lbs
5th Mark Moretz/Ray Cobb 14.73 lbs
6th Al Biagioni/John Larock 14.45 lbs
7th Mike Layton/JA Williford 14.09lbs
8th Brian Cooper/Heath Parker 13.88 lbs
Our next tournament will be on the Chowan river out of Shoups landing on May 11th and is the last chance to qualify for our championship on June 1st.
May is here and the hot weather will settle in next week. The Shad spawn is in full swing and some bass are still spawning also. Night fishing will also be great this month.
Check out Smith Mountain Boat and Tackle Penhook for your boating needs https://www.smboats.com,
Visit Indian Point Marina as Captain Dewayne Lamb has moved locations. Go by and check his new place and there food truck that will be opening soon.
PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE ON CITATION SIZE FISH
Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth Bass The Bass are finishing up there lull of the spawn and should be out by the weekend. Last weekend of April produced some big fish chasing the shad around on the bank and off shore. Look for topwater action early mornings and late evenings around shad spewing areas. During the day target areas with small plastics and jigs as the bluegill heat up to spawn soon. Docks, Points, Rocks, and Stumps will be productive in many depths of water. Check out missile baits lineup of the magic worm for a great bait this time of year. Wolf packs of bass will be roaming the next few weeks following small schools of shad. At night crank baits and topwater will be the bait of choice for about the next month and a half. Listen for surface feeding fish near the bank.
Striped Bass Most of the stripers are cruising shallow areas in small groups looking for shad to feed on. Surface feeding can be seen at times this month also. Night time try casting plugs from Berkley and rapala along with topwaters. Some big fish can be caught in shallow water this month.
Crappie Some crappie are spawning now and can be found in shallow areas with structure. Use live minnows and jigs to target theses fish.
Tournaments Anglers 5-11 FOMNTT 5-18 Big Bass 5-2,3,4,5
ndiana pro weighs in 28 pounds, 1 ounce to lead after Day 1 for Group A – Group B begins competition Wednesday
EUFAULA, Okla. (April 30, 2024) – If anglers thought they knew what to expect when Lake Eufaula made its Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour debut at MillerTech Stage Four Presented by REDCON1 , Mother Nature made sure to rewrite the script.
In the days prior to Group A’s first day of the qualifying round, a series of spring thunderstorms – which included three separate tornado warnings – dumped rain on the Oklahoma impoundment. As a result, the lake level rose nearly 4 feet from the start of practice to the start of competition; the influx flooding a new swath of shallow cover and muddying large stretches of water.
The seismic shift produced a challenging bite for many of the 39 anglers who took to the water Tuesday. But pro Jason Vance of Battle Ground, Indiana , managed to boat 13 scorable bass totaling 28 pounds, 1 ounce. One of three anglers to top 20 pounds amid the changing conditions, the Indiana pro sits atop SCORETRACKER® in Group A, leading second-place angler Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pennsylvania, by 5-10.
The six-day tournament, hosted by Vision Eufaula , showcases 79 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 39 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition Wednesday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A will resume competition on Thursday.
Aside from losing his cell phone to the waters of Eufaula shortly after lines out, Tuesday unfolded better than Vance expected. The Bass Pro Tour rookie had sought out clean water during the third and final practice day and found a stretch where he got several bites in a row but struggled to hook up with the fish. When competition began, he figured out how to get those bass to commit.
“I got into some cleaner water, and that’s where I started getting bit, and that was on the last day of practice,” Vance said. “Was I expecting to catch (that total)? No, I wasn’t. But I just got bit really good there.”
One of a handful of anglers in the field with tournament experience on Eufaula, Vance first found his area during last year’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals event on the fishery. He had to fish around some floating debris, but the water clarity generally held up well amid the lake’s rapid rise – not something that could be said for many areas.
“The water color varied where I was at,” the Bob’s Machine Shop pro said. “There were areas that were dirty and some that were cleaner. But it had a lot of sticks and twigs and stuff that had been blown into the area that I was in.”
Vance centered his strategy on finding the largest population of bass, targeting numbers rather than size. The 13 scorable bass he stacked on SCORETRACKER® were three more than the next-highest total. With bites not easy to come by – only 13 of 39 anglers caught at least five scorable fish – that strategy paid off.
“I’ve been trying to adapt from the five-fish limit to as many as you can catch, so I was just going for as many scorable as I could get,” he said. “That was my whole thought process – I just have to catch keepers.”
With more storms in the forecast, the conditions are sure to continue to change. But Vance is optimistic that his program can continue to produce. Not only did his water stay fairly stable, but he was also able to catch fish behind other anglers Tuesday.
Plus, Vance should have the luxury of getting some in-tournament practice time when Group A returns to the water on Thursday. Seeking his first Knockout Round appearance since joining the Bass Pro Tour, Vance hopes to catch about 15 pounds in the morning then use the rest of the day to explore new water.
“I’m going to power fish in the morning, and then once I feel like I’ve got probably at least 15 pounds, I’m going to lay off of them and go looking for some new areas,” he said. “That’s the strategy. Hopefully it works.”
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Lake Eufaula are:
1st: Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., 13 bass, 28-1 2nd: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Penn., 10 bass, 22-7 3rd: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., seven bass, 20-8 4th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., nine bass, 18-14 5th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, six bass, 17-10 6th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 14-15 7th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., five bass, 13-10 8th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., six bass, 13-10 9th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., four bass, 13-5 10th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., five bass, 12-5 11th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., five bass, 11-5 12th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 10-12 13th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., three bass, 10-7 14th: Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 9-15 15th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., three bass, 9-7 16th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., five bass, 9-3 17th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., three bass, 9-1 18th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., four bass, 8-14 19th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., three bass, 8-11 20th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., three bass, 8-9
Overall, there were 140 scorable bass weighing 348 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 36 pros Thursday, which included one 6-pounder, five 5-pounders, nine 4-pounders and 16 3-pounders.
Jonathon VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, earned Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award after a 6-pound, 8-ounce largemouth bit his drop-shot rig in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 30 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s 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 launch at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from the Peter’s Point-Nichols Point Boat Ramp, located on Dabbs Road in Eufaula. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the boat ramp, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit Peter’s Point-Nichols Point for the MLF Watch Party and Kids Fishing Derby. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. Additional fishing gear will be provided onsite for the fishing derby or kids can bring their own. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water 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 79 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
The 79 anglers taking on Lake Eufaula this week aren’t just battling for a first-place trophy and $100,000 payday. Valuable points in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race are also up for grabs. The winner of the season-long competition will take home an additional $100,000 check.
Fishing Clash, an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide, is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
Television coverage of the MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 Knockout Round will air as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering on Oct. 19. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, REDCON1, Star brite, Suzuki, Toyota, WIX Filters and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
We had the 3rd tournament of the 5 tournament series in the Foundations Xperts Kerr Trail last Sunday. I can tell you from experience that Kerr Lake was not fishing easy last Sunday! But!!! That being said every Lake I fish here lately seems to fish tough for me!
We had 46 teams come out on Sunday. That is the biggest turn out in the Kerr Trails 2 seasons. When it was all said and done it was the team of Daniel Jenkins & Logan Thornton that took home the WIN! They had a five fish limit weighing 14.98 pounds to top the leaderboard. That bag earned them a total of $1575.00. Them guys have gotten stronger each tournament so far so it was only a matter of time. BIG CONGRATULATIONS to them on a very tough day!! They were followed by the father & son team of Falwell & Falwell. They had a five fish limit weighing 14.40 pounds. That earned them a total of $900.00 That is a team consisting of a father and his very young son. That the stuff we love to see! Great job guys!! Big fish was won by the team of Wray & Purcell.They had a fish weighing 5.28 pounds to earn them $460.00 BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all the team that placed in the money.
The 4th tournament of the 5 tournament series is this Sunday 5/5/2024.
If anyone wants to pre register contact me Kevin Sheppard at 336-264-8416. Thanks and hope to see yall Sunday!!
Introduction As May descends upon us, anglers around the country gear up for the highly anticipated bass fishing tournaments. With the waters warming up and the bass becoming quite active, it’s crucial for avid fishermen to equip themselves with the best lures and rigging strategies to maximize their chances of landing that trophy-size bass. In this blog post, we will explore a selection of top-performing lures for May bass fishing tournaments and delve into the art of rigging them for spectacular catches.
Spinnerbaits: The Alluring Flash Spinnerbaits have been a go-to lure for bass anglers for decades, and they continue to shine during May tournaments. Their unique design offers a combination of flash and vibration that can effectively mimic a variety of prey, enticing even the wariest of bass. Opt for a heavy-duty spinnerbait, with a wiry frame and dual blade setup, for enhanced action and durability.
When rigging your spinnerbait, ensure the hook is positioned correctly and offers a secure hold on the fish. Pairing spinnerbaits with a trailer hook can also increase your chances of a successful catch. Experiment with different blade combinations to optimize the lure’s presentation in differing water conditions.
Soft Plastics:Versatile and Irresistible Soft plastics are an angler’s best friend when it comes to versatility and the ability to adapt to ever-changing fishing conditions. Worms, flukes, and creature baits, rigged Texas-style or on a weighted swimbait hook, can offer remarkable results. The natural movement and lifelike appearances of soft plastics drive bass into a feeding frenzy.
To rig soft plastics effectively, it is crucial to focus on the weight and position of the hook. The weight should be just enough to make the lure sink naturally, while the position and size of the hook depend on the specific soft plastic being used. Experiment with different colors and sizes to find the combination that entices the bass in your local waters.
Jerkbaits: The Tempting Twitch Jerkbaits are an excellent choice for May bass fishing tournaments, particularly during the pre-spawn and post-spawn periods. These lures imitate an injured or vulnerable baitfish, triggering a predatory response from bass. Opt for suspending or floating jerkbaits, as they allow for longer pauses during retrieval, mimicking a wounded baitfish and increasing your chances of a strike.
When rigging jerkbaits, pay close attention to the positioning of the hooks. It is crucial to select hooks that do not interfere with the lure’s action but still offer sufficient hook-setting power. Experiment with different jerking techniques to impart varying actions, such as aggressive snaps or subtle twitches, to find the most enticing presentation for the bass in your area.
Jigs: Power and Precision Jigs are a staple in any bass angler’s arsenal and can offer exceptional results during May bass fishing tournaments. A well-rigged jig can successfully provoke bass into striking, especially when presented near cover such as rocks, submerged timber, or vegetation.
When rigging jigs, consider the trailer you choose. Trailers with flapping tails or paddle-like appendages create more motion and help the jig stand out. Additionally, adjusting the placement of the trailer on the jig can alter its overall profile and action, making it more attractive to bass.
Conclusion May bass fishing tournaments present an exciting opportunity for anglers to showcase their skills and land that elusive trophy-size bass. By utilizing these top-performing lures and strategically rigging them for maximum effectiveness, you can enhance your chances of success on the water. Remember, fishing is as much an art as it is a science, so experiment, adapt, and observe the behavior of the bass in your region to unlock the secrets to an unforgettable fishing experience. So grab your favorite lures, hone your rigging techniques, and get ready for a month of phenomenal bass fishing.
Whitewater Fishing’s new Wool Fingerless Glove and Knit Logo Beanie poised to handle any spring weather surprises.
MUSKEGON, Mich. (April 30, 2024) – Northern anglers hope we’ve turned the corner weather-wise. Southern freshwater anglers and saltwater sticks look forward to that last chilly predawn at the boat landing or dock. But, as history reminds us, a devious May cold front is never out of the question. To that, Whitewater Fishing offers its new Wool Fingerless Glove andKnit Logo Beanie.
If you’ve never fished in fingerless gloves, now’s your chance, and starting with the best out there. The principal premise is maintaining dexterity in your fingertips without sacrificing warmth, as the body of the Wool Fingerless Glove acts like a furnace, delivering heat throughout your hand. Crafted from a blend of lambswool, nylon, and spandex, the Wool Fingerless Glove tenders a soft and durable feel, maintaining their shape even during extended periods on the water as well as wet. And another upside of lambswool is its capacity to maintain warmth even when saturated.
Cleverly, Whitewater also added silicone grip to the palm. Confidently grasp your rod and reels, paddle, or thermos of coffee while wearing the Wool Fingerless Glove. Again, even when wet. Lambswool is naturally antimicrobial, too. An especially poignant feature for those of us who catch loads of fish. Ahem…
Wool Fingerless Glove FEATURES: Performance fit Durable Naturally antimicrobial for odor prevention Naturally regulates body temperature Silicone print on palm for grip Hand: 50% Lambswool/49% Nylon/1% Spandex Cuff: 49% Lambswool/48% Nylon/3% Rubber MSRP $29.99
Whitewater’s new Knit Logo Beanie is made of superior quality knit fabric, providing exceptional warmth and durability. The Knit Logo Beanie is also tailored for a snug and comfortable fit to ensure it stays in place even during active fishing sessions.You’ll be pleased with its full coverage, too, generously extending over your head and ears.Knit Logo Beanie FEATURES: Premium knit construction Snug and comfortable fit Extends over the head and ears Maintains its shape Embroidered Whitewater logo One size fits most Available in CHARCOAL and GREY MSRP $19.99
Bass Boat Technologies BAM Delta Pro Am Presented by the the of Oakley CA and Tackle Warehouse
By Jody Only
After three days of fishing, boater Phil Tilbury of Oakdale, Calif., finished out the 3rd stop of the BAMTournament Trail Pro/Ams on the California Delta adding 16.88 to his three-day total for 61.41 and taking home the first-place pro payout for the 41-boat field at $7,709.54.
The tidal water fishery gave up fish in all stages of the spawn and was as stingy to some as it was as generous to others. Tilbury was one of only three anglers to weigh a 20-pound sack on Day One, securing a 2nd place position for his 21.67 and trailing by more than six-pounds. Increasing his weight to 22.86 on Day Two, he not only made up his six-pound deficit, he also put nearly a six-pound gap of his own, between him and his nearest competitor.
It turned out to be a lead large enough to negate the decline he had in his five-fish sack onChampionship Sunday. A hard-fought fishing fight to the finish Tilbury feels incredibly rewarded to become the first Delta BAM Pro/Am champion.
“Anybody that fishes competitively, knows there’s a whole lot more down days than good,” he said. “To finally win one and beat some of these guys that are here this weekend is pretty amazing. And I say this weekend because you can’t catch ‘em tomorrow like you did today.”
Tilbury’s pattern included slow rolling a ChatterBait in sparse grass in lower tide. “A little bit of my problem today was too much water,” he shared. “I needed a lower tide to squeeze those fish into the grass line I was fishing. I knew I was losing it (the low tide) more and more every day as the tide (change) got later and later.”
Targeting post-spawners was his focus. “It’s been an eye-opener really finding out where these bigger fish go after post-spawn, because while you’re on top of the bank, your boats on top of the fish, he shared.”
Tilbury credited the majority of his weigh fish to a Z-Man JackHammer with a Yamamoto Zako trailer in an undisclosed size and color. His ChatterBait rig was tied to 20-pound Gamma Fluoro Edge spooled on a Shimano Chronarch paired to a 7’4”, medium-heavy St. Croix rod.
He also threw a BassPatrol Jig with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver as the trailer and mentioned both Green Pumpkin and Black and Blue for preferred color options.
Top-10 2024 BAM Delta Pro/Am Boaters PLACE PRO TOTAL WEIGHT TOTAL PAYOUT
1 Phil Tilbury 61.41 $7,709.54
2 Ish Monroe 57.16 $2,673.00
3 Ryan Hall 54.19 $2,202.73
4 Clint Groenewold 48.93 $2,392.45
5 Chris Parks 48.19 $2,172.18
6 Mark Mello 47.45 $1,541.91
7 Ken Mah 45.89 $1,321.64
8 Beau Joudrey 44.34 $1,401.36
9 JasonBradshaw 42.28 $1,101.36
10 Jason Austin 41.92 $881.09
Rodney Brown Bests Co-Angler Field
With a wire-to-wire win Rodney Brown of Sacramento, Calif., was crowned the co-angler champion in the draw-partner event for a tournament total of 49.70, earning $3,774.71for his effort.
Brown rode a rocket to the co-angler top spot, weighing 17.51 on Day One for a lead of more than four pounds. He added 15.27 to Day Two and widened his cushion to roughly seven-pounds, although he didn’t need it. By event’s end, Brown sat nearly14-pounds over the co-angler runner-up.
“It feels awesome;I can’t believe it,” said Brown of his victory. “I’ve been fishing many, many,many years, and these wins don’t come often. These fishermen are so good andI’m so excited to have won the BAM tournament.”
For the first two days on the water Brown fished Yamamoto Senkos and Kut Tail Worms in Green Pumpkin Blake Flake. “I was fishing those very slowly,” Brown added.
For the final day,Brown had his limit by 7:30 a.m. and then his bite died. He threw a Chatter Bait in Black and Blue and Blade Runner Spinnerbaits. “I fished them with Abu Garcia rods and reels,” he said. “My line was from my sponsors Berkley and P-Line / 1st Gen Fishing and thanks to Gone Fishin’ Marine.”
While Feldermann lives almost three hours away from La Crosse in Illinois, he’s no newcomer to that stretch of the Mississippi River. He’s fished there plenty of times over his longstanding BFL career. Feldermann started competing on the circuit in 1991 and has fished the All-American four times. This is his 12th career BFL win.
Feldermann relied on past experience to form his Mississippi River game plan. First, he knew he’d target largemouth bass only.
“I think the top 10 guys except for me were all (targeting) smallmouth,” he said. “I never fish for smallmouth because it’s one of those deals where they’re kind of fool’s gold. They’re there one day and gone the next. I feel more comfortable fishing largemouth.”
Knowing he was going to target largemouths, Feldermann just had to find the right patches of grass, which he found in three areas of Pool No. 8 where the tournament launched. One particular area really produced for him in the morning.
“I was throwing a spinnerbait and ChatterBait in about 3 foot of water,” he said. “I was fishing basically about a quarter-of-a-mile weed flat. I had a limit by 7:30, and I just kind of caught them throughout the day.”
The key spot had a mixture of aquatic grasses and a depth change – from about 3 feet deep on top, dropping off to about 7 feet.
“You were pretty limited on what you could fish just for the simple fact it was 20 or 30 mph winds,” he added. “I stayed out on the flat. It was a little easier to fish the flat than to fish the bank.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Mike Feldermann, Galena, Ill., five, bass, 23-0, $4,116 2nd: John Engler, Vinton, Iowa, five bass, 21-14, $2,320 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus) 3rd: Zach Williamson, Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 21-7, $1,214 4th: Rick Ragner, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 21-6, $850 5th: Kevin Ruh, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 20-7, $728 6th: Hunter Litchfield, Macomb, Ill., five bass, 20-4, $668 7th: Randy Wieczorek, Buffalo City, Wis., five bass, 19-9, $607 8th: Ryan Lewis, Glasford, Ill., five bass, 19-2, $971 9th: Jacob Ambrose, La Crosse, Wis., five bass ,19-1, $485 10th: Bill Sepke, Indian Head Park, Ill., five bass, 18-14, $425
Feldermann caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $475.
David Goodyear of Beloit, Wisconsin, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,057 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 21 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 11 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: David Goodyear, Beloit, Wis., five bass, 21-3, $2,057 2nd: Parker Kratochvill, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 20-14, $910 3rd: Jason Olson, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., five bass, 19-7, $607 4th: Hector Garcia, Elgin, Ill., five bass, 16-14, $425 5th: Chris Stelter, Chisago City, Minn., five bass, 16-12, $364 6th: Lee Lewis, Peoria, Ill., five bass, 16-2, $334 7th: Matthew Vang, Milwaukee, Wis., five bass, 15-0, $303 8th: Robert Beaman, Sauk Rapids, Minn., five bass, 14-15, $258 8th: Hertz Skaer, Holmen, Wis., five bass, 14-15, $258 10th: Mai Xiong, Milwaukee, Wis., five bass, 14-10, $201 10th: Austin Frye, Ontario, Wis., five bass, 14-10, $201
Goodyear also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $237 by catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 3 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The next event for BFL Great Lakes Division anglers will be held May 18, at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on the Mississippi River Pools 13-17 in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL 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 BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Armstrong said his expectations were pretty low coming into the tournament. The spawn was over. So was the shad spawn. Add in some weather swings, and the fish were clearly in a funk, as reflected in the weights. Even in practice, Armstrong spent two days scouting the lake and never caught a fish over 2 pounds. He shook off a few he felt were decent, but that was it.
“It was definitely tough, to say the least,” Armstrong said. “It was a grind.”
With his confidence low, Armstrong hit the lake with an open mind. He ran to a couple grass spots first thing in the morning and there were already boats on them. So he ran down the lake, keeping his eyes open for anything that looked good.
“I found one little place that had some rocks, and then there was some grass,” said Armstrong. “I said, ‘This looks good. Let’s stop over there and maybe take five minutes to fish.’ On the third cast I caught a 5-pounder on a ChatterBait.”
From there, Armstrong went junk-fishing around shallow grass. He was able to catch a limit, but even with that 5-plus-pound bass in the livewell, his best five might have weighed just 8 or 9 pounds.
“Then I ran to another place where I’ve caught them before. It’s a shallow hard spot off the bank. I caught two almost 3-pounders there that were really spawned out.”
He finished the day bouncing around fishing docks and made two small culls that gave him just enough weight to lock down the win by 1 ounce.
Armstrong’s biggest bass came on a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer. He caught one fish from the offshore rocks using a Carolina rig and the other using Garmin LiveScope and a Neko rig. His primary dock-skipping bait was a Texas rig.
The weigh-in brought an exciting finish for Armstrong, who works full time rigging fishing boats at Stateline Marine, a Phoenix Boats dealer in Lanett, Alabama.
“It caught me by surprise for sure,” he said of the win. “I knew 13-something was leading it, but I knew there was a handful left to weigh in. I thought surely one of those guys caught 15 pounds because usually it takes good weight there every time. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting that for sure.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Noah Armstrong, Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 13-14, $3,917 2nd: John Kitchens, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 13-13, $1,958 3rd: Mason White, Moultrie, Ga., five bass, 13-11, $1,307 4th: Zach Clark, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 13-5, $914 5th: Chuck Howard, Elloree, S.C., five bass, 13-1, $1,303 6th: Weston Parker, Mansfield, Ga., five bass, 12-14, $718 7th: Frank Kitchens III, Oxford, Ga., five bass, 12-7, $653 8th: Brad Stalnaker, Eatonton, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $588 9th: Jae Evans, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 12-3, $522 10th: Mark Knight, McDonough, Ga., five bass, 12-1, $457
Chuck Howard of Elloree, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $520.
Matthew Foster of Marietta, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,958 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Matthew Foster, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 12-12, $1,958 2nd: Anthony Gaskins, Hinesville, Ga., five bass, 12-11, $979 3rd: Chris Lumpkin, Gray, Ga., five bass, 10-15, $653 4th: Harrison Dunahoo, Clermont, Ga., five bass, 10-7, $717 5th: Joshua Green, Cartersville, Ga., five bass, 10-6, $392 6th: James A. Bryant, Empire, Ga., five bass, 9-12, $359 7th: Don Griffin, Roswell, Ga., four bass, 9-5, $326 8th: Bruce Jeffrey, Lithonia, Ga., five bass, 9-2, $294 9th: Cameron Sampson, Jackson, Ga., five bass, 9-1, $261 10th: Brian Jenkins, Kennesaw, Ga., five bass, 9-0, $228
Harrison Dunahoo of Clermont, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $260, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 6 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After four events, Brooks Anderson of Marietta, Georgia, leads the Fishing Clash Bulldog Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 928 points, while Jaquas Dobbs of Conyers, Georgia, leads the Fishing Clash Bulldog Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 916 points.
The next event for BFL Bulldog Division anglers will be held Sept. 21-22, at Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Georgia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL 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 BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
