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John Cox Claims Victory at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake

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John Cox Claims Victory at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake

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CULLMAN, Ala. (March 14, 2021) – After leading the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake for most of the event, it’s no surprise that Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, pulled out the win on Championship Sunday. What is surprising – and long overdue – is a win for the angler on Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama – a fishery that has been antagonizing Cox for nearly a decade.

The 2016 FLW Cup Champion made the Top 10 on Lewis Smith Lake several times in the past with the Pro Circuit, including two previous runner-up finishes, but has never been able to seal the deal – until now. The win put a $100,000 check in his pocket and added another piece of hardware to his already extensive trophy collection.

Pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas , stalked the top spot throughout Sunday, making another big leap from seventh place into second with the biggest five-bass limit of the day – 17 pounds, 8 ounces – bringing his four-day total to 56 pounds, 11 ounces. Although bites were stingy for the entire field, Cox’s five-bass limit of 16 pounds, 10 ounces gave him a four-day total of 62 pounds, 4 ounces – and a solid 5-pound, 9-ounce lead to firmly secure the win.

Cox maintained the familiar strategy seen all week throughout the final day, refusing to allow himself to do what he does best – sight-fish. Ultimately that proved to be the right call for the event, but Cox said a gut check late in the day is what sealed his victory on the northern Alabama fishery.

“I was idling to check-in when I realized I still had 7 minutes left to fish and called an audible – I was feeling sick because it felt like it just wasn’t enough [weight],” said Cox. “I knew someone was catching them. So, I pulled over to this pocket and fired my jig right down the drain. A 4-pounder came out and hit it but didn’t take it – so, I killed it for a second and she ate it.

“I knew if I had a chance to win [a tournament on Smith] something magical had to happen. That was it.”
Cox said he spent the week throwing a black-and-blue Dirty Jigs Swim Jig teamed with a  Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Meaty Chunk .

“I put the trolling motor on high and swam that jig in and around every piece of shallow cover I could find in the pockets and creeks far up Ryan Creek,” said Cox. “I threw the jig on a 7-foot, 6-inch heavy Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier rod and an  Abu Garcia Revo EXD 8:1 reel.”

Cox said that rod and reel was a difference-maker, especially when the fish surprised him and he needed to pick up the slack.

“This has been a really special week in so many ways,” said Cox. “I love this place and love fishing on Smith Lake, even despite my history – so this win is incredible.”

The top 10 pros on Lewis Smith Lake finished:

1st:      John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 20 bass, 62-4, $100,500
2nd:      Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 20 bass, 56-11, $30,000
3rd:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 19 bass, 55-8, $25,200
4th:       Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., 20 bass, 53-11, $20,000
5th:       Kyle Hall, Grandbury, Texas, 20 bass, 53-9, $19,000
6th:       Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 20 bass, 52-2, $18,500
7th:       Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 20 bass, 50-14, $17,500
8th:       Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 20 bass, 50-3, $16,000
9th:       Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 20 bass, 47-15, $15,000
10th:     Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 17 bass, 42-15, $14,000

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 47 bass weighing 127 pounds, 12 ounces, caught by 50 pros on Friday, which included nine five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake was hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The field was cut to 50 anglers on Saturday. The top 10 pros based on their three-day cumulative weight advanced to Sunday where the winner was determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram and YouTube.

John Cox Extends Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake

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John Cox Extends Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake
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CULLMAN. Ala. (March 13, 2021) – Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida , who led the tournament on Day Two, brought a five-bass limit to the scale on Saturday, weighing 12 pounds even, to stay on top of the leaderboard after Day Three of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama.

Rookie Tai Au of Glendale, Arizona,  jumped from fifth place into second on Day Three, with a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces, giving him a two-day total of 40 pounds, 6 ounces – a 5-pound, 4-ounce gap that could prove challenging on the stingy fishery. Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas , made the biggest jump of the day, starting the day in 28th place and vaulting into seventh place with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces, bringing him into the Top 10 with a total of 39 pounds, 3 ounces.

The event features 163 of the best bass fishing professionals from around the world, competing in a four-day competition for a top cash payout of up to $135,000.

“I want to win so badly on this lake,” Cox said. “I want to win here worse than anywhere else in the country. It would make a lot of really bad memories disappear. But, today was a little miserable. The only keepers that actually took my bait were the five I brought to the scale.”

Cox said despite the struggle today, he’s still not really looking at beds or trying to fish them.

“I saw some empty beds, and a few with fish on them, but the fish were really spooky,” said Cox. “They still needed to be surprised or tricked into biting. There aren’t any eggs down, so they are passed the point of where I’ve already caught them, and now are further in where they want to make their beds.”

Cox said he caught a lot of males today, but they just weren’t big enough to keep.

“I know I’m in the Top 10 and I’m trying to get excited for tomorrow, but I’m so burned out – there have been a lot of boats on a lot of areas today, so I tried to let some of those areas rest and ran around and fished more random stuff to try to get to those better pockets I wanted to fish. I don’t think we weighed one fish today out of any of the actual pockets I was looking forward to fishing.

“I think I’m just mentally and physically drained from fishing so much water and not getting bit. A lot of times through the day, I was thinking ‘I need to change baits – I need to change colors’, but I honestly just think if those fish were ready, they would have taken anything.

“I went to start on a stretch, but threw to a dock randomly and caught one, then threw to the dock again and caught another one, which got me excited – but that was the total excitement for the entire day.”

Cox said he almost ran all the way to the dam around 10 a.m., but changed his mind because he had three bass and thought he would be able to catch two more pretty easily.

“Hopefully it won’t be as crowded tomorrow – today it was nuts everywhere I went, with people on all the spots,” said Cox. “I’m planning to just rig up everything the same tomorrow and see what happens.”

The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition Sunday on Lewis Smith Lake are:

1st:      John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 45-10
2nd:      Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 15 bass, 40-6
3rd:       Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., 15 bass, 39-13
4th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 14 bass, 39-9
5th:       Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 39-6
6th:       Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 15 bass, 39-4
7th:       Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 39-3
8th:       Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 15 bass, 38-8
9th:       Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 15 bass, 38-4
10th:     Kyle Hall, Grandbury, Texas, 15 bass, 38-1
Anglers finishing 11th through 20th are:
11th:     Chase Serafin, White Lake, Mich., 15 bass, 37-12, $11,000
12th:     Kerry Milner, Fisher, Ark., 13 bass, 37-3, $11,000
13th:     Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass,  36-13, $11,000
14th:     John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 15 bass, 36-13, $11,000
15th:     Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., 14 bass, 36-9, $11,000
16th:     Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 14 bass, 36-7, $11,000
17th:     Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 15 bass, 35-10, $11,000
18th:     Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., 15 bass, 34-5, $11,000
19th:     Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 14 bass, 33-11, $11,000
20th:     Terry Bolton, Benton, Ky., 14 bass, 33-10, $11,000
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 186 bass weighing 423 pounds, 14 ounces, caught by 50 pros on Friday, which included 25 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake is hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 162 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The field was cut to 50 anglers on Saturday. Now, the top 10 pros based on their three-day cumulative weight advance to Sunday where the winner will be determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT on Sunday from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Rd 386 in Cullman. Weigh-in will also be held at the park on Sunday at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Fans can catch weigh-ins and live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, March 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram and YouTube.

Gloria Earns Close Victory In B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series At Lake Fork

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Gloria Earns Close Victory In B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series At Lake Fork

March 13, 2021

Gloria Earns Close Victory In B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series At Lake Fork

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ALBA, Texas — Nate Gloria of Omaha, Neb., employed a unique presentation and tallied 98 inches of bass to claim a narrow victory at the Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX at Lake Fork.

Topping a field of 196 competitors, Gloria edged Justin Largen of Roanoke, Va., by one-fourth of an inch.

Gloria, who competed in a Hobie Mirage Outback, caught bass measuring 22.5, 21.25, 19.5, 18 and 16.75 inches. He committed his day to Little Caney Creek, where he’d previously won the 2018 YAK4IT Tournament of Champions.

Alternating between two small coves, Gloria looked for a mix of new and older lily pads that had recently started turning green. In practice, he noticed the fresher habitat seemed to attract the bigger fish.

Gloria said he focused on fish that were moving up to spawn, but he employed a different strategy than other competitors.

“I was fishing beds, but I didn’t visually sight fish them; I knew they were at least fanning out their beds and clearing out predators in that area,” Gloria said. “During practice, I caught a 21-incher in that area.

“I figured everyone would be bed fishing, so I wanted to approach things a little bit differently. I would skim a little Texas-rigged craw across the water until I saw them wake after it and then I killed it. It was more of a finesse topwater presentation.”

Gloria used a green pumpkin craw with a chartreuse belly. He said rigging his bait with that brighter side facing downward was more enticing to the fish.

Four of Gloria’s top fish bit the craw, but his largest ate a black & blue 1/2-ounce Mr. B Lures bladed jig with a black/orange 3 1/2-inch swimbait.

“I caught that fish along a weed edge,” he said. “I believe that fish was probably clearing out predators around the nest. It was eating anything that came into the area.

“All of my bites were very aggressive. The ones that bit really wanted the bait out of their area.”

Largen, who posted a second-place total of 97.75 inches, fished from a 12-foot-9 Hobie Mirage Outback. His best two bass measured 21.25 and 21 inches, along with a trio of 18.5-inchers.

Also fishing Little Caney, Largen targeted bed fish in shallow water behind patches of alligator grass. With his bass tucked into little pockets beyond the dense vegetation, Largen had to work his way into position.

“I was pulling up the pedal drive and paddling into position because the drive would catch on the grass,” he said. “That grass broke up the wind and allowed me to see into the little cuts where they were bedding.”

Noting that each of his fish behaved differently, Largen said he used a variety of Texas-rigged baits. His top performers were a black 6-inch Zoom Lizard with a chartreuse tail, a black/blue Strike King Rage Bug, a green pumpkin Missile Baits Baby D-Bomb accented with blue Spike-It dye and a green pumpkin YUM Christie Craw.

Lance Burris of Lebanon, Mo., finished third with 97.25. Competing in a Bonafide SS127 kayak with a Torqeedo Ultralight 1103, he caught fish measuring 20.75, 20.5, 19.5, 19 and 17.5 inches.

Burris spent his day near the dam and fished a stump field in 2 1/2 feet of water. Working a 1/2-mile area, he targeted staging prespawn bass with a red 1/2-ounce Strike King Redeye Shad.

“The key was covering water fast and making nonstop casts,” Burris said. “I was reeling fast and burning the bait.”

The tournament was hosted by Lake Fork Marina.

Oklahoma pro goes wire-to-wire for the win on Lake Eufaula

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Oklahoma pro goes wire-to-wire for the win on Lake Eufaula

By Justin Brouillard | Photo Tanner & Travis Lyons

EUFAULA, AL — MARCH 13, 2021

John Soukup – Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Taking the inaugural NPFL event wire-to-wire, John Soukup took the lead day 1 with 20-pounds, 12-ounces and never looked back. He followed up that haul with a 20-pounds, 2-ounce limit on day 2 and even with the toughest day of the week coming on the final day, Soukup got it done.

Soukup spent his week looking at fish on his Garmin Livescope installed by the Bass Tank. Quality equipment and a solid game plan were key to his week. He ran the Xpress boat quietly in and out of shallow areas with brush that were holding big bass.

“One little tree gave me 20-pounds on day 1, but today was super tough. I lost a “helper” off a dock that was around 2.5-pounds. At one point, I had a small limit in the 6-pound range. I kept working that jerkbait and I would rotate to a spinning rod when I needed.”

Not only was a spinning rod part of his plan, his two biggest bass came on it. Soukup began his final day dealing with local pressure and stingy fish, catching 1-pound bass one after another. A 5-pounder later in the day helped put him over the top, but the fish didn’t come easy.

“That big one today, I had to hover it over the brush pile and work it through there. I watched it come up and finally ate it. Today some followed it for like 40-feet and wouldn’t bite it. The small ones would come up and crush it instantly.”

The Oklahoma pro rotated through a series of jerkbaits, all thrown on Denali Rods and Daiwa Reels. His spinning rods were spooled with 7-pound Sunline. Each day the fish positioned and reacted differently, and Soukup was right there to make them eat.

“Having those different style jerkbaits was key. I had one that would float and I could work it over the top of that shallow brush. I’d pull it down into it, then let it rise. Some of them were deeper brush piles and that bait would sink down to them before I would even move it. I had one with a bigger bill that would get down into the brush and deflect off the pieces. Then of course that big one I got to go by hovering it above that brush and he came up and got it. Toss the color out the window, get a natural looking bait, and learn the behavior of the fish.”

Soukup was able to relax this week and fish clean. When fighting big fish, it is not always easy, but knowing your gear helps in those stressful moments.

“I had so much confidence in my equipment, I could hook them and just relax. When you get those big ones near the boat, they like to make a charge. I let my rod take over and then work them back up. I fished in AFTCO gear all week and loaded my Xpress with Lithium pros that took 200-pounds of weight out.”

With a final weight of 53-pounds, 9-ounces, Soukup took home the top prize of $50,000 for his efforts this week on Lake Eufaula.

David Gaston – Sylacauga, Alabama

David Gaston got it done early this morning on Eufaula and made it a game in the first hour. The Alabama pro spent his entire week in the shallows and let his swim jig do the work. Running new water every day, his 16-pound, 7-ounce limit today moved him up to the second-place spot.

“I started in some shallow area and before 8 am I had a limit, then caught a 5-pounder swimming that jig. I was looking for little creeks that had water left in them and I could push myself into. Today, all my weight came from one creek and every fish ate the swim jig.”

Gaston kept his set ups pretty simple rotating between two rods, both with 50-pound braided line. One with a 6.3:1 and the other with a 7:1.1.

“I had to slow down my reel ratio to get as much torque on those fish when they would eat it in the thick stuff. I was throwing a heavy jig and pulsing it up in the water column with a big beefy trailer and a living rubber skirt to move some water.”

Starting strong on day 1, Gaston followed his 14-pounds, 2-ounces up with a monster bag of 19-pounds, 9-ounces. His final day limit gave him 50-pounds, 2-ounces to end the week.

Landon Tucker – Adel, Georgia

Fishing off shore this week rotating through up to 250 brush piles, Landon Tucker broke the 20-pound mark today with 20-pounds, 1-ounce to finish in third. Eufaula is one of Tucker’s home lakes and experience with the brush was key to getting his week going.

“I started this event with like 250 brush piles and I went out Sunday and marked like 50 more during practice. I didn’t hit as many as I should have and I knew not having a limit the first day was going to hurt me.”

As seen on live today, the Adel, Georgia pro hooked a 6-pound, 1-ounce big fish on a ¾-ounce Ledge Buster spinnerbait on a brush pile he found in practice. A big fish from the spot yesterday and another lunker today.”

To get the job done this week, Tucker tossed a homemade ½-ounce green pumpkin football jig with a Berkley Powerbait Chunk, also in green pumpkin. His rod of choice was a Duckett 7’3 Heavy Jacob Wheeler rod spooled up with 17-pound P-line.

Nick Prvonozac – Warren, Ohio

The morning bite has not been good for Nick Prvonozac and today was no different. The Warren, Ohio pro caught 11-pounds, 7-ounces to finish in 4th place.

“The first spot I got to had 4 boats on it. I ran to a shallow brush pile, made a cast. I worked the bait through it and I turned my head for a split second and one was swimming at me with it. I never caught up to it but it was really shallow, I could see it was a good fish.”

Doing what got him here this week, Prvonozac ran shallow and never looked back. He caught more keepers today than any other day but they were not the size he was looking for.

“It was tough on me the rest of the day. I went shallow to look for them and I actually caught everything I saw but they were not the right size.”

Following up a 16-pound,10-ounce limit on day 1,  Prvonozac relied on his 18-pound, 2-ounce bag on day two to finish 4th with 46-pounds, 3-ounces.

Louis Fernandes – Santa Maria, California

In the 5th spot, Louis Fernandes relied on a shallow bite the whole week to catch his 44-pounds, 2-ounces. Falling water hurt his day 3 bite but fishing new water is nothing new.

“The water has been falling all week. Ive been moving around and just fishing. I started in my main lake pocket but the carp had the place all mud. I actually caught a 30-pounder in there, then a 10-pound bowfin, and then a giant snapping turtle.”

The pro from Santa Maria, California decided that pre fishing on the final day was what he was going to have to do. A quick move to the river and a quick limit on a frog got him going.

“I got on this little 300-yard stretch and I worked it all day. The big fish moved up throughout the day and I would just pick them off when they would set up.”

Fernandes relied on his IROD 733 Crusher series rods and 15-pound P-Line Halo Fluorocarbon for almost all his chatterbait fish this week and mixed in an IROD 714 when he went to work with his spinnerbait.

“In practice and on day 1, the big fish would eat the frog, but since then they would just roll on it and not get it.”

Fernandes relied on his 18-pounds, 2-ounces on day 2 to propel him into the top 10. A decent bag today of 13-pounds, 8-ounces pushed him into the top 5 with 44-pounds, 2-ounces total

Mike Comeau of Alburgh, Vermont caught a 7-pound, 7-ounce largemouth.

The rest of the best:

6. Joe Discerni 43-10

7. Chance Woodard 42-3

8. Marc Schilling 41-4

9. Brandon Perkins 40-14

10. Greg Mansfield 37-12

John Cox Surges Ahead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake

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John Cox Surges Ahead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake
CULLMAN. Ala. (March 12, 2021) – Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida brought a five-bass limit to the scale on Friday, weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces, to take control of the leaderboard after Day Two of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Starting the day in fourth place, Cox’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 10 ounces moved him into the top spot heading into Day Three of the event.

Pro Kerry Milner of Fisher, Arkansas, dropped one spot, from 1st place into 2nd, with a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces, giving him a two-day total of 31 pounds, 14 ounces – just 1-pound, 12-ounces shy of Cox.

The four-day competition features a field of 163 of the best bass fishing professionals from around the world competing for a top cash award of up to $135,000.

Cox said he’d been itching to sight-fish beds, but didn’t allow himself to even look on Thursday or Friday.

“I just know they aren’t ready yet,” said Cox, the 2016 FLW Cup champion. “I’m hoping they get ready before the tournament is over, but there are too many on the move right now and there are way more opportunities to run into them while they are moving than to catch them on a bed.”

Cox said he went into the tournament planning to focus on dirty water until the bass committed to beds, then switch to cleaner water when he could sight-fish them. However, after the last two days’ haul, he will likely stick with what’s working.

“I caught many of Friday’s fish in random pockets that I hadn’t visited yet, so I think just following that pattern and catching them on the move is going to be my best bet,” continued Cox. “The water is warming up so fast – there was almost a 10-degree difference from the beginning of the day to the end – so I’m definitely keeping my options open to any changes in movement over the next two days.”

Cox said he had seven total keepers on Day Two, which was quite a feat considering it was a struggle for most of the field.

“I’ve been throwing a Dirty Jigs Swim Jig with a Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer and mixing it up with a frog and a wacky-rigged Berkley Powerbait The General Worm,” said Cox. “I fished different areas of the lake, but basically used the same baits and techniques both days.”

Cox, who has a lot of history on the fishery, said he’s fishing many of the same pockets he’s fished in the past.

“They served me well then and I hope to continue the success through the remainder of this event.”

The top 20 pros after Day Two on Lewis Smith Lake are:

1st:      John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 33-10
2nd:      Kerry Milner, Fisher, Ark. 10 bass, 31-14
3rd:       Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-12
4th:       Chase Serafin, White Lake, Mich., 10 bass, 27-13
5th:       Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 10 bass, 27-10
6th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 27-8
7th:       Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 27-7
8th:       Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 27-6
9th:       Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 27-0
10th:     Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., 10 bass, 26-14
11th:     Dakota Ebare, Denham Springs, La., 10 bass, 26-10
12th:     Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 25-13
13th:     Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., eight bass, 25-10
14th:     Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 25-10
15th:     Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., 10 bass, 25-7
16th:     John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 25-4
17th:     Braxton Setzer, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 24-15
18th:     Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., nine bass, 24-9
19th:     Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 10 bass, 24-8
20th:     Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark., 10 bass, 24-6
For a full list of results and to see the top 50 anglers that will continue to Day Three, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Birge won the day’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award, bringing a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass to the scale.

Overall, there were 535 bass weighing 1,212 pounds even caught by 163 pros on Friday, which included 62 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake is hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight now advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros will continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT Saturday and Sunday from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Rd 386 in Cullman. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Fans can catch weigh-ins and live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, March 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram and  YouTube.

Soukup Maintains Lead on Eufaula at NPFL March 12,2021

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Soukup Maintains Lead on Eufaula at NPFL March 12,2021

EUFAULA, Alabama – Soukup Maintains Leads n on Eufaula

John Soukup maintains his lead on Lake Eufaula with a 5 fish limit of 20-pounds, 2-ounces. His total weight of 40-pounds, 14-ounces anchored by a 6-pound, 4-ounce lunker gives him a slim lead over the 2nd place angler.

As seen on live, Soukup picked up where he left off yesterday and probed around on a 100-yard stretch to catch most of his weight today.

“I fished where I caught them yesterday, and didn’t get bit. I fished where I didn’t catch them yesterday and they were firing today. I am still looking at every fish on the Garmin, but the hard part is getting them to bite.

The Sapulpa, OK pro noted that most anywhere he parks, the big fish are there, but the key is making them bite. In between catching 15 to 20 bass on day 2, a few long lulls in the action has the leaded a little worried.

“I am going to go back to where I got them today and hope I can get them to go. The jerkbait has been the key for me but I did pick up that 6-pounder on a spinning rod today. I need to hunker down and catch a limit and then just move around to find ones that want to bite. I can get in and out of areas in that Xpress boat quietly and I have to make long casts.”

On live, viewers saw Soukup hook up with a small keeper bass as he noticed a bigger fish following along. One of two doubles today on the Spro jerkbait, Soukup says that was one of the coolest things.

“I was fighting that small one to the boat and dropped my rod to let the fish swim and that big one smashed it. Tomorrow I just need to settle in and fish my areas. The obvious spots that look good seem to be harder to get bit but I have a couple little areas that should have some fish left.”

Chance Woodward was the star of live coverage today and cranked his way into the 2nd spot less than 2-pounds behind the leader. Woodward weeded through 50 plus bass today for the biggest bag of the event. His 23-pounds, 8-ounces has his total weight at 39-pounds even going into the final day.

“I am fishing where a main creek dumps into the river but I have a few sweet spots where they are loaded up. The wash out from the creek creates these hard bottom spots and the school of fish I was on was huge.”

Making a precise cast has been key to casting these Eufaula bass, but the Texas pro spent some time keeping people guessing. With multiple boats in the area, people took notice of his non-stop action.

“I moved all around that area today scouting a bit and keeping people wondering. I threw that Lew’s 7’11” David Fritts Signature Crankbait rod all day and they were smashing the Strike King 5XD.”

Unsure about how his fish will react to the thrashing he gave them today, Woodard has a few cards in his back pocket, just in case.

“I pushed my way back into a pocket this afternoon where I saw some males in practice and ended up caching a good fish on a buzzbait. That gave me an extra half-pound. I located two other areas that seem to set up like my main area and I think I can catch them there if needed.”

The goal is to get back to work early on the final day and Woodard isn’t worried about catching fish, but is hopeful a few bigger fish move back into the area.

“I did some math this afternoon. I think I have caught over 70 fish on that one area – it’s unreal. If that spot dries up, I’ll make a move and I am confident I can run into some fish somewhere. I should be able to get a limit, and then I’ll get rolling.”

Nick Prvonozac topped his 16-pounds, 10-ounces on day with a 5 fish stringer of 18-pounds, 2-ounces. The Warren, Ohio pro stuck to his game plan but after all morning without a bite, had to change it up.

“I went through an area in 4 to 5-foot and didn’t get a bite. The water is dropping so much and I got to a stretch and ended up getting them on a Booyah Pad Crasher.

Tomorrow, more of the same. Prvonozac will return to his area and keep fishing around.

“I am fishing dirt shallow and I think the falling water has the fish retreating and they are all along the grass edges.

David Gaston relied on his Day 2 weight of 19-pounds, 9-ounce to slip into the top 5 with a total weight of 33-pounds, 11-ounces. The Sylacauga, Alabama pro started in an area where he had a good bite in practice and landed a 4-pounder yesterday.

“I had this little spot on the main lake where the boat wakes kept it stirred up. The falling water made is tough and I only had 3 fish around 11 AM and knew I had to make a move.”

Setting for 9 to 10-pounds was not in the cards and a gamble paid off big time for Gaston. After searching around for an area that was not as affected by the falling water, he settled in and went to work in a big way. A few quick bites and a 5-pounder to finish his limit was all it took.

“I caught that big one, culled a few times for ounces, and boom, a 4-pounder. I wanted one more good bite to finish my bag off. I ended up losing another good one around 4-pounds and not 3 minutes later that big one bite.”

A 6-pounder to anchor his day and move him to the top 5 and Gaston now has to figure out what to do on the final day to keep his momentum pointed upward.

“I will end up fishing a lot of new water tomorrow looking for big bites. The biggest thing is getting a limit, catching those keepers, and getting bigger ones mixed in. I am going to keep that swimjig in my hands and rotate around shallow and a little deeper.”

Joe Discerni of Warren Ohio brought 15-pounds, 8-ounces to the scales for a two-day total of 32-pounds, 8-ounces. He heads into the final day in the 5th spot.

Louis Fernandes followed up his day 1 weight with 18-pounds, 2-ounces for a two-day total of 30-pounds, 10-ounces. Going into the final day, Fernandas knows he is doing the right thing, and needs to connect with some of the big ones he saw in practice.

“On day 1, I should have had a mega bag. I went into one of my better pockets and there was another guy who came in behind me. I went left, he went right. Soon after he dumped a 7 and a 9-pounder and I would have been around those fish.”

The Santa Marie, California pro is fishing shallower than anyone in the field and pushing himself into pockets to look for fresh fish.

“I am covering all new water and the fish I am around will bite whatever I can get to them. I am picking between 10 rods and fishing what looks the best based on the shoreline. Ive never been here before, but I am noticing that these Eufaula bass will pull up and spawn on anything – no nothing, mud banks.”

The plan for the final day is more of the same. Fernandas will fish some productive pockets and keep exploring. He has been targeting main lake pockets, river pockets, and basically anything they will spawn in.

Landon Tucker brought 16-pounds, 11-ounces to the scales and heads into the final day in 7th place. The Adel, Georgia pro has been fishing off shore all week and got on the right stretch at the right time after a slow start.

“I had like no fish at 10 AM. I had 2 bites early but they never got it good and I didn’t get a hook in them. I’m rotating like 150 brush piles a day and on the 16th one today, I got my first bite.”

Not only was the first bite a relief, but the 6-pound, 2-ounce lunker anchored his day 2 haul. On pile number 17 for the day, a 4-pounder bit and gave him 2 fish for over 10-pounds. Those two fish stayed with Tucker for a short while before starting back over on his best stretch.

“I caught 2 small fish on a brush pile I marked in practice but I had not fished it yet during the tournament. I got back to my best stretch and ended up culling one of those small fish. I only got 6 bites all day but they are the right fish.”

Tucker has spent his entire event in 8 to 12-foot and is switching between a CJ Jigs ½-ounce football jig and a big worm. His plan for the final day is more of the same, keep his best stretch honest and fish as much brush piles as possible.

The rest of the best:

8. Greg Mansfield 26-pounds, 1-ounce

9. Brian Hatfield 25-pounds, 10-ounces

10. Jesse Millsaps 24-pounds, 15 ounces

Current Will Play A Key Role In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Pickwick Lake

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Current Will Play A Key Role In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Pickwick Lake

Florence, Ala., will host the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake March 18-21. 

Photo by B.A.S.S.

March 12, 2021

Current Will Play A Key Role In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Pickwick Lake

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FLORENCE, Ala. — Brock Mosley believes current will play a prominent role in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, and the Mississippi pro will be monitoring the Tennessee Valley Authority app regularly for water release schedules because of it.

Competition days will be March 18-21 with daily takeoffs from McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.

Mosley’s hardly a go-with-the-flow kind of guy but knows current strength greatly impacts this TVA reservoir. Water movement definitely benefits bass anglers, but too much of a good thing can become a not-so-good thing. As of early March, Pickwick Dam was releasing approximately 157,000 cubic feet per second — a figure Mosley hopes to soon see tapering.

“There’s a lot of water being pumped through the system, and that’s fairly normal this time of year with the spring rains coming,” Mosley said. “I just hope that by the time the tournament gets here, it slows down to 70,000 to 80,000 cfs, or even a little less.

ing 52.7 miles dam to dam and covering approximately 43,000 surface acres, Pickwick offers significant habitat options, such as islands, points, bluffs, creeks, bridges, riprap and grass. Mosley is expecting primarily a prespawn event, so the latter should play a key role — as long as the current subsides to a level the fish can tolerate.

Addressing the current’s clarity variable, Mosley said, “I always like a little stain this time of year. Pickwick can have a lot of clarity, but I think you can get away with a lot of different techniques with a little bit of color to the water.”

Lipless crankbaits, bladed jigs and swimbaits lead the seasonal lineup, while topwaters, jerkbaits and jigs will also see plenty of action. Largemouth bass keep company with a good population of smallmouth, so anglers targeting the latter may also add drop shots, Ned rigs, shaky heads and Neko rigs to their arsenals.

The Pickwick event was originally scheduled for June 10-13, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency and associated limits on large gatherings, B.A.S.S. officials swapped this event with the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Mosley said this change will likely afford anglers a more enjoyable and productive scenario.

“This will open up a lot more options on ways to catch them,” he said. “If we would have come in June, it would have been primarily a ledge deal with guys sharing schools and fishing on top of one another.

“That could have been a little frustrating for the anglers. Now it’s going to open up the entire lake, and guys are going to be able to catch them however they want to.”

That being said, Mosley believes the Wilson Dam tailrace could end up delivering the winning fish — as it did for Davy Hite who, in 2011, notched his eighth Bassmaster win on Pickwick.

Smallmouth love that cooler, more active water, but quality largemouth feed there, too. The great thing about Pickwick is that both species live throughout the lake

“This should be a really good event after coming from Knoxville (the previous Elite event), which was a grinder,” Mosley said. “This one won’t be nearly as tough, and guys are going to catch them.”

Mosley said limits shouldn’t be too hard to come by, but competitive bags will need a kicker of 4-plus pounds each day. Largemouth generally grow bigger than smallmouth, but Pickwick’s known for whopper bronzebacks.

“I’ve seen 28-pound bags of smallmouth come out of that place,” Mosley said. “A guy could catch all of either species or have a mixed bag and do extremely well with a little bit of each.

“It’s possible that the century mark (100 pounds of bass) could be broken, but it will definitely take over 20 pounds a day to win — unless we have some type of odd weather between now and then.”

A full field of 100 anglers will fish the first two days, with only the Top 50 advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round. After Saturday, the Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.

Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.

The tournament is being hosted by Visit Florence.

Arkansan Milner Leads Day One of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake

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Arkansan Milner Leads Day One of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake

ULLMAN, Ala. (March. 11, 2021) – Bass fishing professionals from around the world set out on Lewis Smith Lake Thursday to begin their four-day competition for a shot to win up to $135,000 at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake. Pro Kerry Milner of Fisher, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds even, to take the early lead after Day One. Milner holds a mere 5-ounce lead over pro Joseph Webster of Winfield, Alabama , who caught five bass weighing 17-11, good for second place.

Milner brought five spotted bass to the scale but said he boated a whopping 20 keepers on the tough day.

“I’m seeing a lot of people fishing the same stuff I’m fishing, but having different results,” said Milner. “I’ve been able to go right in behind people and catch them.”

Milner said he has two spots on the main lake with schools of fish that he feels are especially good because of the herring in the area.

“I’m seeing herring float up, watching them on the graph and seeing fish spit them up when I catch them,” said Milner. “There are multiple fish in those areas – you can just sit there and catch them all day.”

When asked if he thought his bait was the difference-maker, Milner was guarded, but said he believed it was the total technique.

“I’m doing something a little different than everyone else and I think the other guys are missing them on the depth by just a bit,” said Milner. “I figured out what I was going to do in practice – I instantly went to a spot that sets up like these two areas, and caught a 3-pounder. I tried a few other things, then came back to this same technique and was able to shake off fish in five different spots on the lake. At that point, I knew what I needed to do and let the fish and the areas rest until competition day. That’s what I plan to do until those fish abandon me.”

It was refreshing for Milner to start out with a bang on Day One of the competition, as he said his prior two trips to Lewis Smith Lake didn’t go nearly as well.

“The other times we were at Lewis Smith, it was a little bit too early for the technique I’m using,” Milner continued cryptically. “I had a pretty good first day of practice one year, that set up just like this, but they left and got on beds. It’s still a bit too cold for that though, so I don’t think they are going to move up this week.”

Milner would only say that he was “fishing the way he wants to fish” and said it was very familiar and the way he typically fishes on Arkansas’ Norfork Lake, Lake Dardanelle and other fisheries.

“This is what I look for everywhere I go,” said Milner. “ My fans and followers back home know exactly what I’m doing.”

Perhaps if the spots hold and the technique continues, Milner will clue us in on his technique and what worked so well for him on Thursday.

The top 10 pros after Day One on Lewis Smith Lake are:

1st:       Kerry Milner, Fisher, Ark., five bass, 18-0
2nd:      Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., five bass. 17-11
3rd:       Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., five bass, 17-4
4th:       John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 16-13
5th:       Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 16-2
6th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 15-15
7th:       Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 15-3
8th:       Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., five bass, 14-15
9th:       Ricky Robinson, Greenback, Tenn., five bass, 14-13
10th:     Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., five bass, 14-8

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Cox won the day’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, bringing home a bass weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces to the scale.

Overall, there were 544 bass weighing 1,273 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 163 pros on Thursday, which included 65 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake is hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT Thursday through Sunday from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Rd 386 in Cullman. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, March 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram and YouTube.

Soukup Smashes them at Eufaula – NPFL

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Soukup Smashes them at Eufaula – NPFL

EUFAULA, Alabama – For the inaugural event of the 2021 NPFL season, John Soukup of Sapulpa OK takes the Day 1 lead with 20 pounds, 12 ounces.

Soukup began his morning fishing shallow, offshore on Lake Eufaula in a small area he found with several brush piles close by.

“I found this little main lake pocket that had 10-20 brush piles I could easily jump around between. I slowly plucked a fish here and there and culled up to a 10 to 11-pound limit.”

A good decision between 10 and 11 AM defined his day when he decided to make a little move to a shallow pocket. After scanning around on his Garmin Livescope, Soukup realized the area had loaded up with fish.

“I could see fish everywhere but they would not bite. I rotated though all the rods I had and finally got a 5-pounder to bite on a shaky head. I stuck with that but couldn’t get anything to go.”

Another short move further back out of the pocket to the main lake paid off as Soukup was able to find a wad of big fish on his Livescope and quickly went to work with a jerkbait.

“I could see every fish and I didn’t even make a cast until I saw them on the Livescope. Everybody could probably see me on the Live Coverage scanning around looking for fish.”

Rotating between a Spro and a Megabass, he was able to jerkbait his way to a few solid culls late in the day to put him 3-pounds, 12 ounces over the 2nd place angler.

“Both of the big fish I caught had others with them, little wolfpacks. I would get one to bite but the others would swim away.”

Soukup believes he should have no problems catching fish tomorrow between his shallow brush and his “medium” transition areas, but whether or not the big fish will bite remains to be seen. The game plan is to continue to run productive areas between 3 and 15-foot and try to find those bigger fish.

“All the credit goes to the Garmin units and the amazing job that The Bass Tank service guys did on my Express boat. The install is beyond clean, the power and mounts are amazing. Without those Garmin units and the Livescope, I may not have caught a bass.”

In second place, the pro from Warren, Ohio got to work early and often. Joe Discerni started on his offshore spot first thing and they were biting to the tune of 17-pounds.

“I caught all my weight really fast and within two hours the bite had died, but I had my weight. I moved up shallow to check on some bed fish and found some little ones and ended up losing a 3.5-pounder flipping that would have helped.”

As for tomorrow, Discerni is confident he can catch some more fish, but it’s anyone’s guess if the big fish show up again. He visited the “sweet” spot later on in the day and was able to grind out a few fish on the crankbait in the afternoon but no fish that would have helped.

“I think I can get a few on that 10-12-foot diving crankbait again and I might be able to slow down and pick up a few more on some bottom baits.”

Nick Prvonozac of Warren, Ohio ended the day in 3rd place with a 16-pound, 10-ounce limit. Prvonozac made the run to the south end of the lake to target spawning fish but was met with a plethora of small fish and nothing new that had moved up.

“I caught a few of those smaller spawning fish but had to get off the bank to look for bigger bass. I fished new water today in 4 to 6-foot and just covered water.”

The Fishermans Central pro mixed it up between a reaction style bait and a bottom contact bait but with only catching 5 all day, it was a grind. What he expected to be a sight fishing derby from the beginning, turned into a scramble to keep his bait in areas where the fish will be transitioning through.

“I only got 5 bites all day so it was not fast and furious, but they were the right size. As for tomorrow, I will probably catch a quick bedded fish and then do more of the same. The water is dropping and muddy, the fish are all messed up.”

Only 4 ounces back of Prvonozac, Greg Mansfield of Louisburg, Kansas took advantage of an early “whack fest” and caught his 16-pounds, 6-ounces to end the day in 4th place. Mansfield took advantage of a spot he found in practice and was pleasantly surprised to find numbers of fish.

“I had one bite in practice on this little deal and I rolled up this morning and it was on. I grinded for a few hours but the bite died and nothing else I caught after helped my bag.”

Mansfield found some quality Eufaula bass but noted they were all clones – 3 to 4-pounds.

“If I can get one or two big fish tomorrow and finish a limit, it could get interesting. I found some sight fish and I could catch a few if I need to, but I’d like to save those. Ill bounce back and forth shallow and deep and see what happens.”

In 5th place after Day 1, Chance Woodard brought 15-pounds, 8-ounces to the scales. The Big Bass leader for the event is John Cox with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.

Rest of the Best:

6th place – Brian Hatfield 14-4

7th place – David Gaston 14-2

8th place – Hunter Baughman 13-12

9th place – John Cox 13-12

10th place – Chris Whisenant 13-9

Harris Chain of Lakes Readies to Host Toyota Series Event

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Harris Chain of Lakes Readies to Host Toyota Series Event

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LEESBURG, Fla. (March 11, 2021) – The Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Southern Division will kick off  its second event of the 2021 season with a tournament next week in Leesburg, Florida, March 16-18, with the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Harris Chain of Lakes . Hosted by Visit Lake County, Florida, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus an additional $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.

“Bass fishing tournaments have a major economic impact on our area, and we are thrilled that the beautiful Harris Chain of Lakes is right here in Lake County for all anglers to enjoy,” said Doug Shields, Lake County Commissioner and Tourist Development Council Chairman. “We are proud to host the Major League Fishing Toyota Series, and we invite all visiting anglers, families and fans to enjoy their time fishing and exploring the Real Florida.”

While anglers are currently ramping up for the spring spawning season, Toyota Series angler Bobby Bakewell of Orlando, Florida, said he believes the off-shore bite and consistency will be the kickers in this tournament.

“There are some big fish on the Harris Chain, but a solid bag each day will really be key in this event because consistency on this chain is a lot more difficult than most lakes around Florida,” said Bakewell. “With as much pressure as this lake has been getting many of the key areas guys like to fish have been pounded, so they have to be able to go out and find a fresh spot every day, or a place that will hold up for several days. Both are a lot easier said than done.

“Most guys tend to fish shallow this time of year, because you have everything from spawning fish to postspawn fish starting to fry, to the beginning of shad spawn – so that’s usually where it’s at this time of year,” continued Bakewell. “ However, due to the amount of pressure, if a guy finds an off-shore region in the 10 foot range, with fish on it – that will be a big player, because it will have every level of fish – from pre-spawn to post-spawn – that have moved back and are feeding up again.”

Bakewell said the fishery has been a little tough lately due to high winds, but he expects to see a lot of suspended jerkbaits come into play, as well as Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worms, which the fishery is known for.

“When it’s blowing down the heart of these lakes, it can fish really big,” he continued. “It’s just a matter of finding that special spot. Catching fish isn’t a problem, but catching quality fish is more difficult.”
Bakewell said he predicts it will take 16 pounds a day to get in the Top 10 and expects the winning weight to push up to 60 pounds.

“If an angler finds a major offshore school that’s feeding that no one else has found, or that has enough to last multiple people, multiple days, that will be the kicker at this event – but that doesn’t happen often.”

Anglers will take off daily at 7:30 a.m. ET from the Venetian Gardens – Ski Beach in Leesburg. Weigh-ins will also be held at the Venetian Gardens and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.

The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The 2021 Toyota Series Championship presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and  YouTube.

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