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Veteran Angler Lowen Earns First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory At Pickwick

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March 24, 2021

Veteran Angler Lowen Earns First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory At Pickwick

Bill Lowen has won the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a four-day total of 83 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

March 23, 2021

Veteran Angler Lowen Earns First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory At Pickwick

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FLORENCE, Ala. — Bill Lowen turned in an impressively consistent performance at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, but he’ll never forget the 8-pound, 5-ounce largemouth that buoyed his Championship Tuesday performance and delivered a winning total of 83-5.

The only competitor to break 20 pounds three of the four days, Lowen placed third on Day 1 with 21-3 and improved to second a day later by adding 23-13. He earned his final-round berth on Day 3 with a limit of 17-10 that put him in a first-place tie with Chad Pipkens.

On Tuesday, Lowen surged across the finish line with a limit of 20-11. Edging second-place Brock Mosley by 2-10, Lowen claimed his first Elite win and earned $102,000, which includes the daily and overall Phoenix Boats Big Bass awards.

Lowen’s game-changing kicker bit around 10:30 a.m., when he skipped his black and blue Signature Series 3/8-ounce Lure Parts Online jig with a chunk trailer under a dock near Kogers Island. He initially snagged a piece of submerged cover, but then his line tightened.

“I had to pitch way up in there so the bait could get down in the current and sweep it through,” Lowen said. “I felt my jig get into a limb or a piece of brush, and as I hopped the jig over I felt the bite.

“I hesitated because I wanted to be sure, but when I got big pressure, I set the hook and it was game on.”

Lowen described that emotional catch: “There were so many feelings going through my head. You could hear me screaming and hollering and that’s not me. But that’s 14 years of excitement built up for this day. It all came out.”

The Tennessee Valley Authority steadily worked the volume through the system. But with Wilson Dam dumping approximately 180,000 cubic feet per second into Pickwick, the rising water and intense current dramatically changed Lowen’s game plan.

“My main goal was to start the tournament out on the grass flat by Koger Island. When all this rain and current came through I (was concerned) because I didn’t have anything else.

“The first morning of the event I ran down there and saw what was going on, and I said, ‘These fish have to slide to the sides — whether it’s on the island where I was fishing or the docks on the other side.’ Fortunately, when I pulled up and started flipping trees I got a bite, which keyed me in.”

That pattern worked for three days, but in the final round, falling water had drained much of Lowen’s prime habitat.

“Today, my main area (shallow cover on the outskirts of Kogers) was a foot and a half low,” he said. “A lot of the wood I was catching fish on was dry, so I started running some deeper stuff. I switched from the 3/8-ounce jig to a 1/2 and caught a couple key fish.”

Earlier in the tournament, Lowen used the 3/8-ounce jig so he could float it through the shallow, current-swept cover without getting hung up. He also used a Strike King Rodent Texas-rigged on a 5/0 Hayabusa flipping hook with a 5/16-ounce Reins tungsten weight for flipping reeds.

“Anytime I’m fishing current and I can keep a flipping rod in my hand, that’s my comfort zone,” Lowen said. “I grew up on the Ohio River, which looks just like (Pickwick) when it’s flooded. I’m used to rising, muddy water; it doesn’t affect me or make me get spun out. I just went out and fished the way I’d fish at home.”

Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., finished second with 80-11. Entering the final day in sixth place, Mosley caught the day’s heaviest limit — 22-14. His previous weights were 19-9, 21-8 and 16-12.

Having cut his teeth on Pickwick, Mosley said he knew the famous Horseshoe area of the Wilson Dam tailrace held tremendous potential, but he waited until the final day to fish this area.

“I’ve been waiting all week for the current to slow down,” Mosley said. “I don’t like fishing the tailrace when it’s 120,000 CFS. I saw that it was going to slow down yesterday, but you usually give them a half day to reposition.

“I went up there this morning and threw a 3/4-ounce spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades. In the first 10 minutes, I hooked up with two good ones.”

After leaving the tailrace, Mosley fished a big paddletail swimbait on the bluffs across from McFarland Park. He would rotate his areas once more and pick up a 5-pound fish 15 minutes before check-in.

Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, entered Championship Tuesday in third place and ended in that position with 79 pounds. His daily weights were 18-9, 15-3, 25-5 and 19-15.

After focusing on main-river current breaks the previous days, Johnston realized his opportunities were dwindling in the falling water. Transitioning to docks with 8 to 10 feet of water at the ends proved to be strategic adjustment.

Johnston caught his fish on a 7/16-ounce black/blue Punisher jig with a matching chunk trailer.

Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 264 points. Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second with 246, followed by Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 245, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 242 and Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., with 239.

New leads the Rookie of the Year standings with 239 points.

Lowen took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, N.C., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Lowen earned $2,500 for being the highest-placing entrant while Palaniuk claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

The tournament was hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 3/20-3/23
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 20 83-05 100 $102,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 23-13 Day 3: 5 17-10 Day 4: 5 20-11
2. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 20 80-11 99 $35,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 21-08 Day 3: 5 16-12 Day 4: 5 22-14
3. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 20 79-00 98 $31,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 25-05 Day 4: 5 19-15
4. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 20 77-04 97 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 17-09 Day 4: 5 20-07
5. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 20 73-11 96 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 5 19-12 Day 4: 5 15-14
6. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 20 73-09 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 20-15 Day 3: 5 21-00 Day 4: 5 14-14
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 20 73-03 94 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 18-12 Day 4: 5 16-02
8. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 20 72-01 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 23-08 Day 3: 5 20-03 Day 4: 5 15-02
9. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 17 68-14 92 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 23-03 Day 4: 2 06-04
10. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 19 64-11 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 16-10 Day 4: 4 07-14
———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 07-06 $1,000.00
2 Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 07-11 $1,000.00
3 Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 07-02 $1,000.00
4 Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 08-05 $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 08-05 $1,000.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 51 363 1149-15
2 63 411 1345-02
3 36 220 768-10
4 8 46 160-01
———————————-
158 1040 3423-12

DeFoe Cruises to Win Qualifying Group A of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole

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March 23, 2021

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DeFoe Cruises to Win Qualifying Group A of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole

Tennessee pro Advances Directly to Friday’s Championship Round, 19 Anglers Advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round

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JASPER, Texas (March 23, 2021) – Pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, caught 14 bass Tuesday totaling 34 pounds, 4 ounces to vault to the top of the leaderboard and win the two-day Qualifying Group A round at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . DeFoe’s two-day total of 25 bass weighing 59 pounds, 11 ounces earned him the win by a 9½-pound margin and now advances him directly into the Championship Round of competition, set for Friday. The six-day tournament is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.

Alabama’s Dustin Connell, the reigning REDCREST Champion, caught a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 50-3 to finish the round in second place, while day one leader Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, boated a two-day total of 13 bass weighing 41-10 to end the round in third place.

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 Wednesday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Thursday. Friday’s Championship Round will feature DeFoe, Wednesday’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.

“It’s such a huge relief to win and not have to come back out here to compete in the Knockout Round,” DeFoe said. “And now, I don’t have to beat my fish up again and the way I’ve been fishing that is a huge, huge plus. I can let those fish rest and don’t have to try to catch them two days in a row. I only have to come back out when it really matters, so I’m very excited about that.”

DeFoe got off to a fast start, catching eight scorable bass in Period 1, but his day slowed immensely in the final two periods with just two scorable bass in Period 2 and a three-fish flurry right around 3:30 p.m. in the final period. He said that he caught his fish on five different moving baits.

“What worked for me on Sunday morning worked again for me this morning, and that got me off to a really solid start,” DeFoe said. “The midday deal was a lot harder for me today. I spent a lot of the final period looking and I finally hit a place that was good and caught the three scorable fish really quick in the final period. I might have figured a little something out, and that could be a difference maker for me in the end.”

DeFoe plans to return to the same areas during Friday’s Championship Round and said he hopes it will have enough to earn him his second Texas victory on the Bass Pro Tour in two seasons.

“I’m all in on where I’m at,” DeFoe went on to say. “I’m incredibly excited to get back out there – equally as excited as I was last year for the final day on Lake Athens.”

Other than DeFoe’s 34-pound day, Spring City, Tennessee’s Wesley Strader had the second-highest weight on the day, catching six bass totaling 28 pounds, 15 ounces – including a 8-9 and a 6-1. Strader’s two-day total of 10 bass for 39-5 landed him in fifth place.

“We had a really fun day today,” the Tennessee pro said. “Hopefully things keep improving and we can expand a little bit on what we had going this morning. I’m looking forward to spending tomorrow regrouping and getting retied and everything ready to go for the Knockout Round.”

Although DeFoe’s 9½-pound margin of victory didn’t really lend much dramatics at the top of the leaderboard, the race to finish above the Toro Cut Line inside the top 20 proved very intense. Pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Arizona, boated a 3-pound, 3-ouncer, with less than 10 minutes remaining in Period 3 to move into the Cut Line and knock out Texan Alton Jones, who finished in 21st place.

“Wow, that was intense. That, right there, is what Major League Fishing is all about – fish hard right to the end and never give up,” Hite said. “I had a rough day, and I worked my butt off. I had a real tough morning, but made the decision to make a long run at the end of the second period into the third period and it ended up being the right call. That’s one of the biggest things out here – you have to go with your gut and trust that you are making the right decision. Today, it paid off, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out here on Thursday.”

The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group A that now advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:

1st:        Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 25 bass, 59-11 (ADVANCES DIRECTLY TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND)
2nd:       Dustin Connell. Clanton, Ala., 16 bass, 50-3
3rd:       Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 13 bass, 41-10
4th:        Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 39-5
5th:        Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 12 bass, 34-2
6th:        Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 31-12
7th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 13 bass, 30-15
8th:        Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., nine bass, 30-9
9th:        Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., nine bass, 30-7
10th:     Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., 10 bass, 30-1
11th:     Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 12 bass, 29-4
12th:     Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., six bass, 28-0
13th:     Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 11 bass, 27-9
14th:     Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 10 bass, 26-10
15th:     Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., nine bass, 26-2
16th:     Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 25-15
17th:     Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., six bass, 25-10
18th:     Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., eight bass, 25-1
19th:     Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., eight bass, 23-0
20th:     Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., eight bass, 22-0

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

Overall, there were 149 bass weighing 434 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 38 pros Tuesday, which included two 8-pounders, two 7-pounders, two 6-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

Pace won Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in an 8-pound, 11-ounce largemouth which bit a jerkbait in Period 1. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that 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 Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2^nd through 20^th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’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. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com

The 2021 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 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 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.

Ben Hudson Talks Big Bass Dreams with two 8lbers Caught on Smith Mountain Lake

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March 23, 2021

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Ben Hudson Talks Big Bass Dreams with two 8lbers Caught on Smith Mountain Lake

“Ben gives us a great look at how he has landed two 8lbers on Smith Mountain lake in back to back events”

Z-Man® pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson’s go-to jig and ElaZtech® tricks

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March 23, 2021

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Z-Man® pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson’s go-to jig and ElaZtech® tricks

Outta Sight!

Z-Man^® pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson’s go-to jig and ElaZtech^® tricks

Ladson, SC (March 23, 2021) – It’s the jighead and ElaZtech® bait combo Jeff Gustafson calls “the number one fish catching system in my arsenal.” The lure’s so good, in fact, so versatile that it blurs the usual boundaries of depth, retrieve or any one particular species of fish. Fish it deep or shallow. Go vertical. Swim it horizontal. As the Z-Man pro and newly minted Bassmaster Elite Series champion concedes, “Wherever I take it, the thing just sort of catches fish.”

The little device driving Gussy’s ‘thing,’ an ultrasubtle Z-Man jighead known as the Finesse EyeZ™ strikes a visually stunning pose. Precisely balanced and sculpted to fit your favorite ElaZtech baitfish, the Finesse EyeZ features sleek curves and physical assets an eye doctor would appreciate.

Actually, the jig’s anatomy comes from the mind of an optical engineer. And most days, Finesse EyeZ Jighead designer Dave Fladd does what optical engineers do: deals with lenses, microscopes and the sciences of light and vision. But Fladd also brings his smarts to his other job as co-owner of Eye Strike Fishing. In short, Fladd concepts some of the coolest jigheads you’ve ever seen, including several designs for his friends at Z-Man. When you understand his profession and see the Finesse EyeZ in action, everything clicks.

“The accentuated eyes of many preyfish species provide a compelling strike target for predatory gamefish,” notes Fladd. “It’s why we chose to let the eyes do the talking with this design. When the bait swims through the water, the oversized white-to-black eyes are the first and most compelling visual you notice.”

Beyond the jighead’s optically stunning facade, you’ll note the Finesse EyeZ’ hydrodynamic, low center- of-gravity profile. “By redistributing jig weight, we’re able to offset ElaZtech’s buoyancy and keep the bait riding perfectly horizontal in the water at all times,” Fladd says. “The result is a lure that looks and moves really convincingly in the water.”

The jig’s innovative Stabiltrack™ contours include a grooved chin that adds balance and stability, channeling waterflow and keeping it tracking true at all retrieve speeds. The jighead’s concave underside and refined ‘wings’ also make it glide slightly as it descends. The Finesse EyeZ lands and sits up like a tripod on the lake bottom, hookpoint slightly elevated for optimal hookset positioning. The jig’s geometric 90-degree eyelet to hook-shank angle postures its trailing softbait naturally, particularly key with Gustafson’s vertical fishing techniques.

Z-Man Finesse EyeZ Jighead

Gussy’s a pretty nice guy, so if you ask, he’s happy to tell you about his previously under-the-radar, tournament-winning trick— a deepwater, vertical cat-and-mouse game known up north as ‘moping.’

“We use it in fall on Canadian lakes like Rainy and Lake of the Woods,” says Gustafson. “But as I found out a few weeks ago, it works just as well on southern reservoirs during the winter.

“First, make sure your knot is positioned right at the top of the eyelet. This further promotes a natural, horizontal bait position. Drop it directly below the trolling motor and watch it descend on your sonar screen. Hold the bait a foot or so above bottom or the bass’ depth. Don’t jig or get twitchy with it. Just let it soak in place. Pretty soon, you’ll feel something like a punch in the arm as a big smallmouth fins over and gobbles it like a live little morsel.”

Riding the back of his jig and creating an authentic baitfish mimic is Gussy’s favorite ElaZtech minnow, a 4-inch Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ™. But the bait could just as easily be a StreakZ™ 3.75 or the underrated Finesse ShadZ™. The power lies in the baits’ ElaZtech composition—impossibly soft yet wicked-tough, and buoyant enough to make it elevate and sit straight as an arrow.

The Finesse EyeZ Jighead with (T to B) DieZel MinnowZ, Jerk ShadZ, Finesse ShadZ, 3“ MinnowZ, StreakZ 3.75, Slim SwimZ.

Having proved his point and wrenched enough tank smallmouth bass for the day, Gussy might turn back toward the bank and swim the same jighead across shallower water. His only adjustment is to quickly swap the soft jerkbait with a paddletail swimbait—a MinnowZ™, Scented PaddlerZ™ or Slim SwimZ™. Up in the bow, firing casts to boulders and cabbage and cruising brown blurs, Gussy initially sets hooks on walleyes, which absolutely engulf the bait. Eventually, largemouths, pike, and big crappies all take cracks. And then, more smallmouths. So many smallmouths . . .

“This is a jighead designed specifically to bring out the best attributes of an ElaZtech bait. Perfect for moping with a soft jerkbait or swimming a small paddletail. Awesome. Just wish that jig would quit staring at me,” Gustafson laughs.

Available at outdoor retailers now, the Z-Man Eye Strike Finesse EyeZ Minnow Style Jigheads are equipped with custom 1/0 or 3/0 light-wire black nickel hooks in 1/12-, 1/8-, 3/16-, ¼- and 3/8-ounce weights and four refined head colors— each a seamless match for different ElaZtech baitfish patterns. MSRP is $5.99 per 3-pack,. Visit www.zmanfishing.com for more information.

Finesse EyeZ jigs and ElaZtech softbaits forge a versatile array of baitfish.

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Branchland’s Davidson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Dale Hollow

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March 23, 2021

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Branchland’s Davidson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Dale Hollow

Cookeville’s Catalin Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 23, 2021) – Boater Ryan Davidson of Branchland, West Virginia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Dale Hollow in Byrdstown, Tennessee. Davidson earned $14,250 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Star Point Resort.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Ryan Davidson of Branchland, W.V.	5	17-15	$14,250
2^nd	David Stephens of Bowling Green, Ky.	5	17-13	$3,000
3^rd	Jonathan Green of East Bernstadt, Ky.	5	17-6	$2,000
4^th	Beau Grissim of Lebanon, Tenn.	5	17-5	$1,400
5^th	Robert Reagan of Byrdstown, Tenn.	5	16-10	$1,200
6^th	Brandon Maynard of Cookeville, Tenn.	5	16-2	$1,100
7^th	Eric Daniel Moore of Union, Ky.	5	16-0	$1,000
8^th	Mike Bryant of Cookeville, Tenn.	5	15-14	$900
9^th	Chris Holland of Winchester, Tenn.	5	15-13	$800
10^th	Josh Gaffney of Crab Orchard, Ky.	5	15-12	$700

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tenn.	5	11-7	$3,000
2^nd	Christopher Stites, Jr. of La Vergne, Tenn.	5	11-5	$1,500
3^rd	Caleb Chambers of Elizabethton, Tenn.	5	11-4	$1,000
4^th	Taylor Wisniewski of Lexington, Ky.	5	11-1	$650
4^th	Travis Giddens of Cookeville, Tenn.	5	11-1	$775
6^th	Les Baker of Lawrenceville, Ill.	4	10-14	$550
7^th	Bob Wiles of Hunington, W.V.	3	10-3	$975
7^th	Abbie Greynolds of Liberty, Ky.	3	10-3	$475
9^th	Ricky England of Sparta, Tenn.	3	9-15	$400
10^th	Dakota Cantrell of Decherd, Tenn.	5	9-9	$350

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Pat Eichmann of Nancy, Ky.	5-pound, 3-ounce bass	$1000
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Bob Wiles of Hunington, W.V.	5-pound, 1-ounce bass	$500
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Ryan Davidson of Branchland, W.V.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$7,000

* 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	Generic moving baits	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Worm	Brown with blue flake

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Music City Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.	Decatur Morgan County Tourism
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 3-5	Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.	Jefferson County Department of Tourism

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.

Marlow’s Davis Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Grand Lake Presented by Abu Garcia

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March 23, 2021

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Arkansan Wedel Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

GROVE, Okla. (March 23, 2021) – Boater Harmon Davis of Marlow, Oklahoma, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Grand Lake Presented by Abu Garcia in Grove, Oklahoma. Davis earned $5,961 for his victory at the event, hosted by the City of Grove.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Harmon Davis of Marlow, Okla.	5	21-15	$5,961
2^nd	Andy Carroll of Greenwood, Ark.	5	17-7	$2,760
3^rd	Brent Haggard of Sallisaw, Okla.	5	17-4	$1,837
4^th	Thomas Canady of Collinsville, Okla.	5	15-10	$1,788
5^th	Kord Hudkins of Pocola, Okla.	5	15-6	$1,546
6^th	Larry Crouch of Carthage, Mo.	5	15-5	$1,012
7^th	Gunner West of Spiro, Okla.	5	14-12	$920
8^th	Wayne Diffee of Bernice, Okla.	5	14-8	$828
9^th	Ryan Stinchcomb of Fort Smith, Ark.	5	14-3	$736
10^th	Brit Sumter of Prairie Grove, Ark.	5	13-8	$644

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Jason Wedel of Lowell, Ark.	5	12-9	$2,744
2^nd	Fred Fielder of Tahlequah, Okla.	5	12-0	$1,372
3^rd	Shaun Bradley of Edmond, Okla.	5	10-12	$917
4^th	Jim McLaughlin of Vinita, Okla.	5	9-11	$640
5^th	Alan Hill of Ada, Okla.	4	9-4	$549
6^th	Keith Baucom of Haskell, Okla.	4	8-11	$503
7^th	Nolan Wilson of Edmond, Okla.	3	8-3	$457
8^th	Jake Hess of Tulsa, Okla.	3	7-14	$412
9^th	Brady Short of Oxford, Kan.	3	7-8	$366
10^th	Scott Smith of Blanchard, Okla.	2	7-4	$320

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Kord Hudkins of Pocola, Okla.	5-pound, 14-ounce bass	$442
Boater Big Bass	Harmon Davis of Marlow, Okla.	5-pound, 14-ounce bass	$442
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Brandon (long) Nguyen of Overland Park, Kan.	5-pound, 11-ounce bass	$440
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Thomas Canady of Collinsville, Okla.	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	Santone Lures Spinnerbaits	White
Strike King Co-Angler	Googan Baits Saucy Swimmer Swimbait	Did Not Disclose

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Okie Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 21-23	Lake Ouachita, Mt. Ida, Ark.	Visit Hot Springs
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 3-5	Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.	Jefferson County Department of Tourism

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.

There’s A Tie At The Top At Pickwick Elite

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March 23, 2021

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There’s A Tie At The Top At Pickwick Elite

Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., and Chad Pipkens of Holt, Mich., are tied for first place after Day 3 of the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 10 ounces.

Photos by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

March 22, 2021

There’s A Tie At The Top At Pickwick Elite

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FLORENCE, Ala. — Tomorrow, there can be only one winner, but Bill Lowen and Chad Pipkens share the Day 3 lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.

Both anglers head into Championship Tuesday with 62 pounds, 10 ounces.

If a tie occurs in the tournament’s final round, the winner will be determined by a fish-off between the tied competitors.

Hailing from Brookville, Ind., Lowen improved from second place by adding 17-10 to his previous days’ limits of 21-3 and 23-13. Pipkens, who lives in Holt, Mich., moved up from sixth. His daily weights were 21-2, 18-5 and 23-3.

Since last week’s fierce storm, the Tennessee Valley Authority has been moving a tremendous volume of water through Pickwick. Lowen started his day fishing main-river current breaks on the backside of Kogers Island and continued his quest to determine how the fish are adjusting.

As the water level slowly declines, warming conditions have set the stage for a possible spawning movement.

“It just seems like every day the morning has been the deal, that first three hours,” Lowen said. “After that, I just have to beat around and try other things. I’m just trying to find out where the fish have gone.

“I feel like the current is pushing those fish off the flats. I have some areas that they should be going to. I keep checking them, but they haven’t shown up yet.”

Lowen caught his fish on his signature series 3/8-ounce Lure Parts Online jig with a chunk trailer. This bait’s weight and buoyancy allows it to sweep across shallow wood cover without snagging.

Later in the morning, Lowen started exploring other habitat features, including tall stands of flat reeds where spawners may eventually move. Signs are pointing in that direction, he said, but Lowen’s not ready to commit his final day to this uncertain stage.

“At the end of the day, I had some fish come up on a swim jig that didn’t get it,” Lowen said. “I’ve been saying it all day that it’s time for that to happen. Tomorrow, I’m going down there and starting on that same stretch. The only thing I was missing today were those big bites. Hopefully tomorrow some of those big females will move up.”

Spending his day on the backside of a small island upstream of Kogers, Pipkens focused on a grassy ditch. Receding water seems to be working in his favor.

“The first day I caught every fish I weighed up close to that island on a current seam because the water was so high,” Pipkens said. “At the end of the day I caught a couple about 100 yards back, and yesterday I caught most of them [farther] back.

“Today, I caught them all there, except for one at the end. I think they’re starting to scatter back throughout that ditch. I’m ready to move around tomorrow.”

Pipkens anchored his bag with a 5-pounder around 10:46 a.m., but a 4-pounder at 2:14 p.m. gave him a key cull that secured his first-place tie. He caught his fish on a ChatterBait with a trailer hook and a swimbait trailer. Pipkens said his bites were subtle.

“There’s so much current, they’re just sitting down there and they’re not eating until the bait comes over them,” Pipkens said.

Pipkens is hopeful that tomorrow’s forecasted rain and dim skies could trigger a more aggressive bite.

“With tomorrow’s weather, it could get right,” he said. “I’ve said if you can catch 15 to 20 fish in this area, you can weigh in 25 to 30 pounds. I was one big bite away today and I only caught six. The right ones bit today.”

Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, is in third place with 59-1. Moving up from 22nd place, he added the day’s heaviest bag, 25-5, to his previous weights of 18-9 and 15-3.

“I caught most of my fish offshore in the Kogers Island area on current breaks in 3 to 8 feet, and then I went looking for some other stuff,” Johnston said. “I ended up finding some stuff on the bank and caught a 5-pounder.

“Up shallow, it was wood and junk they’re sitting behind out of the current. I was just trying to expand my options, but it’s hard to say which might play tomorrow. I’ll try both.”

Johnston said he rotated through a selection of 10 reaction baits. Continuously giving the fish different looks was the key to his success.

Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, N.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-11.

Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Angler of the Year standings with 264 points. Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second with 246, followed by Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 245, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 242 and Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., with 239.

Tuesday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at McFarland Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.

Live coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.

The tournament is being hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 3/20-3/23
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 62-10 100
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 23-13 Day 3: 5 17-10
1. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 62-10 99
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 23-03
3. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 59-01 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 25-05
4. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 58-11 97
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 20-15 Day 3: 5 21-00
5. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 57-13 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 5 19-12
6. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 57-13 95
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 21-08 Day 3: 5 16-12
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 57-01 94
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 18-12
8. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 56-15 93
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 23-08 Day 3: 5 20-03
9. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 15 56-13 92
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 16-10
10. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 56-13 91
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 17-09
11. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 13 56-05 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 3 10-10
12. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 56-00 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 21-03
13. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 15 54-07 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 24-11
14. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 54-03 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 17-11
15. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 14 53-09 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 4 14-07 Day 3: 5 20-06
16. Wes Logan Springville, AL 15 52-14 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 20-09
17. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 52-08 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 18-11
18. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 52-03 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 16-15
19. Bryan New Belmont, NC 15 51-10 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 13-07
20. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 50-13 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 19-12
21. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 13 50-08 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-13 Day 3: 3 09-06
22. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 50-06 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 19-02 Day 3: 5 17-08
23. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 15 50-05 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 15-08
24. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 50-03 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 16-11
25. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 49-12 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 15-11
26. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 14 49-07 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-03 Day 2: 5 19-14 Day 3: 5 17-06
27. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 15 48-07 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 18-00
28. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 48-06 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 13-10
29. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 13 47-15 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-14 Day 2: 5 20-13 Day 3: 5 18-04
30. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 14 47-03 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 4 08-06 Day 3: 5 21-03
31. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 14 46-11 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-14 Day 3: 4 11-11
32. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 46-02 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 14-13
33. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 45-15 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 14-01
34. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 15 45-09 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 12-01 Day 3: 5 18-15
35. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 13 44-09 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 4 14-04
36. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 13 43-01 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 4 13-03
37. Frank Talley Temple, TX 15 43-01 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 11-03 Day 3: 5 15-10
38. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 14 43-01 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 12-09 Day 3: 5 16-01
39. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 13 42-14 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 18-15 Day 3: 3 07-05
40. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 13 42-00 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 15-14 Day 3: 3 10-01
41. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 13 41-11 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 3 10-05
42. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 15 41-10 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 11-14
43. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 14 41-03 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day 3: 4 10-01
44. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 13 40-14 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 15-01
45. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 14 40-04 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 14-01
46. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 13 39-05 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 3 08-01
47. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 12 39-03 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 4 15-01 Day 3: 4 13-14
48. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 11 38-12 53 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 13-08 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 2 05-07
49. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 26-05 52 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 0 00-00
50. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 9 25-04 51 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 4 10-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 07-06 $1,000.00
2 Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 07-11 $1,000.00
3 Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 07-02 $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 51 363 1149-15
2 63 411 1345-02
3 36 220 768-10
———————————-
150 994 3263-11

Davis Leads Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole

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March 22, 2021

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Davis Leads Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole

Arkansas Veteran Jumps out to Early Lead after Day 1 for Qualifying Group B with 10 Bass in First Period Flurry

JASPER, Texas (March 22, 2021) – For Major League Fishing (MLF) fans following the MLF Now!® live stream, it looked like pro Mark Davis was having a very tough day on the water. Mid-way through the second period, the Mount Ida, Arkansas, veteran had yet to weigh a single fish and he remained at the bottom of the leaderboard without a scorable bass. Then, all of a sudden, Davis returned to an area that had cellular service and the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard lit up.

In actuality, Davis had a fantastic morning, boating 10 bass in the first period and jumping out to a big lead on day 1 of Qualifying Group B at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole. It just happened to be in an area that did not have cellular coverage, and therefore his SCORETRACKER updates were unable to send. When all was said and done, Davis caught a total of 12 bass weighing 28 pounds, 2 ounces, Monday to gain the early lead after Group B’s day 1, midway through their two-day Qualifying Round.

Pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, sits comfortably in second place, just two pounds back of Davis with seven bass totaling 26-2. Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, finished the day in third place with seven bass for 22-2, six pounds behind the leader. The six-day event awards a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner and is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.

The 40 anglers in Group B will now enjoy an off day on Tuesday, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will resume competition on Wednesday.

“I caught my fish this morning on a Strike King Red Eye Shad,” Davis said. “I had found this area in practice and I knew that the fish were there. I went in there this morning and started fishing shallow and there wasn’t much going on, then I saw a couple of them come up and bust, way out off of the bank.

“The trick was that I had to cast it out and let the bait sink, then kind of pump it,” Davis said. “It took a cadence with that lure to get them to bite. They wouldn’t just bite it on my cast and retrieve. You had to pump it, you had to work it out and kind of feel it around in the grass.”

Davis said that he threw the Red Eye Shad on a Lew’s KVD Composite Cranking rod paired with a Lew’s Hyper Mag reel, spooled with 15-pound test line.

“The fish were really biting it good – just swallowing it,” Davis said. “But, when it was over, it was done. I mean, it was done. I went to a Carolina rig and was able to catch a few more, but they were small. The shad were there and when the fish were ready to feed, they’ll feed. They’ll probably feed again later this afternoon.”

Spohrer did not have as fast of a start to the morning as Davis did, but his bite managed to be a bit more consistent throughout the entire day.

“The way my morning started, it wasn’t looking good,” the Louisiana pro said. “I had an area that I thought I was going to be my best spot where I’d get the most bites, and I didn’t get anything. I just kept my head down and kept fishing, swimming a jig all day and covering water. I figured out a little deal around the cypress trees, and it proved to be a good method for me.

“The fish are moving around, but I think I have a good feel for what they are doing and it should keep getting better and better for me. Hopefully I can get back out here on Wednesday and try to win the round to advance to Championship Friday,” Spohrer went on to say.

“It ended up being a brutal day for me,” said third-place angler Ehrler. “It started off really well – I felt like I was getting in a groove – then I went the entire second period without catching anything. Then with just an hour left in the third period I finally caught one more 3-pounder. So really, after the first period, I sucked pretty much all day. I’ve got some decisions to make here before Wednesday because I’m just really not comfortable. Hopefully I can change some things up and advance.”

The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group B after Day 1 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1^st:          Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 12 bass, 28-2
2^nd:         Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., seven bass, 26-2
3^rd:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 22-2
4^th:         Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., seven bass, 21-4
5^th:         Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., seven bass, 19-2
6^th:         Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., six bass, 18-10
7^th:         Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 17-11
8^th:         Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 17-1
9^th:         Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., seven bass, 16-10
10^th:       Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., six bass, 16-3
11^th:       Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., five bass, 15-8
12^th:       Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, six bass, 15-5
13^th:       Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., three bass, 13-15
14^th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, five bass, 13-8
15^th:       David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 12-11
16^th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 12-3
17^th:       Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 11-10
18^th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., four bass, 11-9
19^th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 11-8
20^th:       Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., five bass, 10-13

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

Overall, there were 167 bass weighing 457 pounds, 11 ounces caught by 39 pros on Monday, which included two 7-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn.

Scroggins won Monday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 7-pound, 9-ounce largemouth which bit on a bladed swimjig right at the end of Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that 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 Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2^nd through 20^th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’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. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com

The 2021 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 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 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.

What you need to know before you fish with the Bass Cast this Saturday

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March 22, 2021

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What you need to know before you fish with the Bass Cast this Saturday

Nash takes ABA Central Tennessee Opener

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March 22, 2021

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Nash takes Central Tennessee Opener

ATHENS, Al. –Anthony W. Nash of Quebeck, TN won the opening event in the Tennessee Central Division of the Bass Pro Shop Open Series March 13th on Center Hill Lake. Launching out of Ragland Bottom in Sparta, Tenn. Anthony Nash weighed in a limit for 23.71lbs to secure first place on the boater side. “I caught my fish on a football jig, and a jerk bait catching them suspended in about 10 foot of water,” said Nash. “The bite was very good till about noon but after that it went downhill.”

Tim Staley of Dowelltown TN just missed first place by .37lbs to take second place with 5 fish bass weighing 23.34lbs which included a 7.37lb event big bass. “I caught all my fish with ½ ounce football jig in about 15 to 18 foot of water. I caught all my fish by 7:30 this morning. I found them during practice the day before, I was luckily they were still there” Staley said.

Third place 3rd place on the boater side was Jay Melton of Murfreesboro Tn. bringing in a limit for 18.01 pounds. “I caught all my fish on a Carolina Rig and a Spinnerbait. Using the spinnerbait early I caught them shallow, then they moved later in the day and caught them suspended on a Carolina rig” Melton said.

Rounding out the top five was Tim Messer of Hendersonville TN in fourth place with a limit weighing 17.75lbs and fifth place went to Eric Silverstrim of Indian Mound TN with 14.71 lbs.

In the Co-Angler Division Kevin Jones Jr. of Fort Campbell Ky, took first place payday with 10.42lbs including the co- angler big fish 5.73lbs. “I caught all my fish on a Brain Thrift micro jig and a Strike King rock crawler crank bait. All of them came from around rocks in about 10 to 15 foot” said Jones.

Second place Co-Angler was Christopher Benninger of Murfreesboro Tn. with 3 fish for 9.88lbs.

Rounding out the top five in the Co-Angler division was Blake Whittaker of Irmo SC with 9.33lbs and fourth place went to Roy Yother of Red Bank TN had 3 fish for 9.17lbs. Sliding in to fifth place was Ethan Hall of Sparta Hall TN with 9.11lbs

The next stop in the Central Tennessee Open Series division is April 24th on Old Hickory Lake at the Flippers Bait and Tackle. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2022 Ray Scott Championship to be held at Lake Eufaula in April, 2022.

For more information on this tournament, call Floyd Vaughn, tournament manager, at 256-230-5633 or ABA at 256-232-0406. Online, see www.americanbassanglers.com. Mailing address: American Bass Anglers, Inc, PO Box 475, Athens, AL 35612 PH (256) 232-0406.

American Bass Anglers is sponsored by: Bass Pro Shops, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Motor Guide, Garmin, T-H Marine, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Lucas Oil, Engel Coolers, REKS Sunglasses, Power Pole, OPTIMA Batteries, Monster Energy Drink, and Hotel Planner.com.

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Veteran Angler Lowen Earns First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory At Pickwick

DeFoe Cruises to Win Qualifying Group A of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole

Ben Hudson Talks Big Bass Dreams with two 8lbers Caught on Smith Mountain Lake

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Branchland’s Davidson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Dale Hollow

Marlow’s Davis Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Grand Lake Presented by Abu Garcia

There’s A Tie At The Top At Pickwick Elite

Davis Leads Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole

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Nash takes ABA Central Tennessee Opener

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