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Toyota Series to Host Event on Table Rock Lake

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Toyota Series to Host Event on Table Rock Lake

Toyota Series to Host Event on Table Rock Lake

 

BRANSON, Mo. (Oct. 28, 2020) – The 2020 Toyota Series Plains Division will wrap up with a tournament next week in Branson, Missouri, Nov. 5-7, with the Toyota Series at Table Rock Lake. Hosted by Explore Branson, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus a $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.

“Table Rock recently hosted a regional tournament with lower weights than expected, but I believe that’s due to the amount of pressure the lake has had over the past several months,” said Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Jeremy Lawyer of Sarcoxie, Missouri. “With COVID-19 and the rise of recreational fishing, the number of anglers on the water during the week has been similar to normal weekend or holiday traffic, which has placed atypical pressure on the fishery.”

Lawyer said colder weather and rain rolling through the region this week should cool down the water temperature significantly and he expects to see a more typical Ozark tournament by next week, with a markedly better bite.

“I don’t think anyone will have to drag or fish real slow, throwing a shaky head or trying to finesse the bass – I believe this will be more of a meat and potatoes type of tournament,” Lawyer continued. “I expect to see spinnerbaits and topwater baits like the Freedom Tackle Mischief Minnow come into play, as well as LIVETARGET crankbaits and SPRO RKCrawler crankbaits, which are always really good in the Ozarks.”

Lawyer said anglers should be able to fish their strengths during the tournament, due to the large population of bass in the fishery, and he believes the winning angler will have a mixed bag of both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

“Smallmouth tend to get really active this time of year, so I expect we will see a lot of those weighed, but don’t count out large spotted bass,” said Lawyer. “I presume it will take an average of 17 pounds per day to win and 29 pounds should be enough to make the cut.”

Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. CDT from Table Rock State Park Marina in Branson. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at FLWFishing.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 FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower 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 FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. 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 2020 Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, 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 Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

MLF Announces 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing Schedule, Rules and Entry Dates

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MLF Announces 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing Schedule, Rules and Entry Dates

MLF Announces 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing Schedule, Rules and Entry Dates

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Top Two Teams at College Fishing National Championship Advance to the 2021 Toyota Series Championship to Compete as Pros for a Shot at Winning up to $235,000

BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 27, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the schedule, rules, payouts and entry dates for the 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing season, culminating in the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship presented by Lowrance on Grand Lake in Grove, OK, as well as advancement opportunities for anglers to compete as boaters and co-anglers in the 2021 Toyota Series Championship.

  • Both members of the winning team and the runner-up at the 2021 College Fishing National Championship advance to the 2021 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot at winning as much as $235,000, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus.
  • Both members of the third-place team at the 2021 College Fishing National Championship advance to the 2021 Toyota Series Championship as co-anglers for a shot at winning a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro with a 115 HP Mercury.
  • Top 10 teams from each 2021 qualifying event and the top 20 teams from the 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the 2022 College Fishing National Championship, where the top two teams will advance to the 2022 Toyota Series Championship.
  • Top performing schools will continue to be recognized with School of the Year titles awarded to the top overall school of the season, as well as the top school from each of five conferences. Schools earn points based on their top two teams in each tournament, with School of the Year being awarded to the school with the most points in each conference and overall at the end of the season.

Live weigh-in coverage will continue at every tournament with expanded national television coverage of the 2021 College Fishing National Championship on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network. Anglers will also qualify for MLF College Faceoffs presented by Wiley X held in conjunction with select Abu Garcia College Fishing tournaments, where they will compete using the catch, weigh, immediate-release format.

“We are excited to welcome back familiar faces and meet new students during the 2021 season,” said Kevin Hunt, MLF BIG5 Senior Director of Tournament Operations, College and High School. “The chance to qualify for MLF College Faceoffs and advance to the Toyota Series Championship provide our anglers multiple avenues to hone their craft and work their way up through the MLF BIG5 circuits. With national livestream and television coverage, we are thrilled to provide college anglers the very best opportunities to elevate their schools, sponsors and personal brands. We expect 2021 to be our most successful college fishing season yet.”

Registration for teams wishing to compete in the 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing tournaments will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CT December 14, 2020, for teams from school clubs represented in the 2020 College Fishing National Championship. All other teams may register beginning December 15, 2020. Teams can register at FLWFishing.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. The entry fee remains the same for 2021 – $75 per team for teams who enter prior to onsite check-in and $100 for teams who enter onsite.

Abu Garcia College Fishing teams may compete in both conference and nonconference tournaments, giving them the flexibility to construct a schedule that meets their needs. Each conference includes three regular-season qualifying tournaments. The top 10 teams from each regular-season tournament and the top 20 teams from the Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats or 200 boats in the Open.

The 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship presented by Lowrance is on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, March 3-5, and is hosted by the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau and the City of Grove. Held in conjunction with REDCREST, the 2021 championship will provide unique networking opportunities for college anglers, Bass Pro Tour pros and potential sponsors.

Complete rules for the 2020 Abu Garcia College Fishing program can be found online at FLWFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information, visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow Abu Garcia College Fishing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Abu Garcia College Fishing Open

Tue-Wed               TBA

Mar 30-31

 

Central Conference 

Friday                    Table Rock: Table Rock State Park Marina

Mar 26                  Branson, MO

 

Friday                    MS River-La Crosse: W. Copeland & Clinton

Jul 30                    La Crosse, WI

 

Friday                    Lake of the Ozarks: Public Beach #2

Oct 15                   Osage Beach, MO

 

Northern Conference          

Friday                    Smith Mountain Lake: Parkway Marina

Apr 30                   Huddleston, VA

 

Friday                    Potomac River: Smallwood State Park

Jun 4                      Marbury, MD

 

Friday                    Detroit River: Elizabeth Park Marina

Aug 20                  Trenton, MI

 

Southeastern Conference    

Friday                    Harris Chain: Venetian Gardens – Ski Beach

Feb 12                   Leesburg, FL

 

Friday                    Lake Guntersville: Lake Guntersville State Park

Apr 23                   Guntersville, AL

 

Friday                    Lake Chickamauga: Dayton Boat Dock

Oct 22                   Dayton, TN

 

Southern Conference           

Friday                    Lake Somerville: Lake Somerville Marina

Apr 16                   Brenham, TX

 

Friday                    Lake of the Pines: Lakeside Park

Jun 11                    Jefferson , TX

 

Friday                    Lake Dardanelle: Lake Dardanelle State Park

Oct 1                     Russellville, AR

 

Western Conference

Saturday                Shasta: Bridge Bay Resort

Jan 30                    Redding, CA

 

Saturday                California Delta: Big Break Marina

May 15                  Oakley, CA

 

Saturday                Clear Lake: Redbud Park

Sep 25                   Clearlake, CA

 

Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship presented by Lowrance

Wed-Fri                 Grand Lake: Wolf Creek Park

Mar 3-5                 Grove, OK

Hosted by Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau & City of Grove

Cooler Weather May Trigger Lake Fork For Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest

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Cooler Weather May Trigger Lake Fork For Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest

The Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be held on Lake Fork in Quitman, Texas, Nov. 5-8, 2020.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

October 28, 2020

Cooler Weather May Trigger Lake Fork For Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest

QUITMAN, Texas — In Lee Livesay’s view, the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series season couldn’t end at a better location; and not solely because he calls Lake Fork his home waters.

The local stick believes this east Texas powerhouse will offer a tremendous level of diverse opportunities for the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Competition days will be Nov. 5-8 with daily takeoffs from Sabine River Authority (SRA) — Lake Fork at 6:40 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at SRA — Lake Fork at 3 p.m.

Coming off his first Elite win at Chickamauga Lake in mid-October, Livesay has lived near Lake Fork most of his life. He’s guided there for seven years, so he has his finger on the lake’s pulse.

“This is going to be a tournament where you can catch them any way you want to — deep, shallow, in between; south end, north end, middle,” Livesay said. “I think everything is going to play and it’s going to be good.”

Seasonality has much to do with this, as shortening daylight periods have fish ready to feed heavily for winter. Fall has taken its time settling in this year, and with late-October water temperatures around the 70-degree mark, Fork’s fish have yet to fully commit to traditional fall patterns.

The transition is happening and a cold front that pushes through the area a week before the tournament will hasten the process. Daytime highs are expected to drop from the mid- to upper 50s into the upper 40s. Days will quickly warm into the mid- to upper 60s for tournament week, but Fork will see several overnight lows in the upper 30s. That’s going to send the right signals to fish that already know it’s time to chow down.

Key point: Lake Fork has been stocked with Florida-strain largemouth, which have the genetic makeup to reach trophy size. Balancing this truth, “Floridas,” as they’re often called, tend to be highly sensitive to weather changes. That’s not always a bad thing, and Livesay’s hoping the declining temperatures will unleash the lake’s potential.

“The biggest thing we’re going to be facing is this little front,” Livesay said. “It’s been hot and it’s just getting cold. These fish like it cold and (the fishing) is better here until the water temperature gets into the low 50s. So, it’s actually going to be beneficial toward us catching bigger fish.

“We’ve had a couple of big bass tournaments and they did not catch them very well on the upper end of the size. So, it might be perfect for the lake to bust loose and everybody catch a big bag of fish.”

The Lake Fork Dam impounds Lake Fork Creek — a Sabine River tributary — to create a lake of approximately 27,690 surface acres. With additional inflows from Big Caney and Little Caney Creek, Fork is currently about 2 feet below normal pool.

“That’s decently low for us; we don’t have a lot of fluctuation,” Livesay said. “It’s been on a steady fall since early July and we haven’t had a lot of rise and fall since then.”

Describing Lake Fork’s common habitat elements as shallow wood, grass, points, humps and roadbeds, Livesay said there will also be plenty of offshore roaming fish. He expects to try a range of scenarios in various depth zones.

“I’ll fish deep, I’ll fish supershallow, I’ll fish wood — a lot of them start getting on wood when it’s cold. I’ll fish anything and everything in between,” he said. “I’ll fish topwaters, I’ll fish slow dragging baits, buzzbaits, Rat-L-Traps; there’ll be a little niche for everything going on.

“It all depends on the water level. The water being low might have the deep fish out there a little better than everybody thinks. So, I’m literally going to look at everything.”

While he can see someone locating a bunched-up offshore school and carefully managing it for four days, Livesay predicts most anglers, especially those fishing shallow, will need multiple spots and multiple techniques to be competitive. That being said, he believes the Top 10 will include anglers fishing shallow, midrange and deep.

Unlike spring tournaments, where 30-pound bags are not uncommon, Livesay has a more conservative outlook for this fall event. It is entirely possible that the weigh-ins will see a few fish in the 8- to 10-pound range, but with fall fish generally more scattered than they are during the spawning season, anglers may be less likely to amass a five-fish limit of Lake Fork giants.

The tournament will employ a catch-weigh-release format, with trained judges weighing each angler’s fish as they are caught on the water and immediately releasing them back into the lake. Competitors will be allowed to bring in one bass over 20 inches to show on the weigh-in stage.

“It’s going to be who figures out how to catch those four or five fish a day that are a little bigger,” Livesay said. “You’re not going to see the megabags this time of year. Instead of 100-pound (four-day totals), you’re going to see 80 pounds win.

“Somebody might get on a little freak school, cranking a channel swing in a creek, but it’s pretty tough this time of year.”

In addition to the $125,000 first-place prize, the winning angler will earn a berth into the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

The tournament will also help decide the 2020 Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, which is currently being led by Tennessee pro David Mullins with 623 points. Minnesota pro Austin Felix is in second place with 618 and veteran Texas pro Clark Wendlandt is third with 607.

Bassmaster LIVE will cover the event each day on Bassmaster.com and ESPN3. Championship Sunday will feature additional live coverage on ESPN2. Check local listings for details.

The tournament is being hosted by the Sabine River Authority and Wood County Economic Development Commission.

DD26 Fishing Introduces Industry-Leading Motor Tote for Mercury 150HP 4-Stroke Engines

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DD26 Fishing Introduces Industry-Leading Motor Tote for Mercury 150HP 4-Stroke Engines

DD26 Fishing Introduces Industry-Leading Motor Tote for Mercury 150HP 4-Stroke Engines

Unique outboard design demands a custom-fitted solution

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Mesa, Ariz. – DD26 Fishing, a leading innovator of high-technology products for fishing and boating, announces the addition of a Mean Mount Motor Tote specifically designed to fit and protect Mercury’s 4-Stroke 150 horsepower outboard, thus answering the needs and demands of boaters who want to make sure that their equipment continues to operate flawlessly. Combined with the DD26 steering locks, they ensure that anglers will be able to enjoy their days on the water without worrying about damage caused by towing to and from the lake.

“The Mercury 150 4-Stroke is the only model in the Mercury family from 75HP to 300HP with a unique mount that provides very few grab points for any type of attachment,” said DD26 President Dave Davis. “With very few options available for guys running this engine, we battled for more than a year to come up with the perfect solution. We have exceeded even our own expectations with a motor tote that features 6061 T6 aluminum sandwiched by custom-molded polyurethane automotive-grade bump stops that fit like a puzzle piece and better than OJ’s glove!

This patent-pending design will set the standard for the boating industry because of all of the effort and care that has been put into its design and manufacturing. Specific details include:

  • Eight different high-quality metallic powder coat color options to allow you to customize your color theme (check out our Steering Locks and Bandit Culling Beam, too)
  • Fits Mercury 150HP SeaPro, FourStroke and Pro XS 4-Stroke Engines
  • Automotive-grade bump stops to protect your engine and transom by absorbing impact like a shock does!
  • Made in the USA!

“I’m proud to say that no one has ever put this much effort into a motor stabilizer before,” Davis added. “You invest a lot in your outboard, transom and steering system, and a failure from any of them can cost you valuable time and money. A small investment now will put your mind at ease.”

Mean Mounts come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. This model retails for $189.99 and can be purchased at DD26Fishing, Tackle Warehouse and many of your local dealers. If they don’t carry it, ask for it! It is not compatible with Verado engines.

For more information about DD26 fishing, go to www.dd26fishing.com.

To learn more about this new Mean Mount, and to see it in action, check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2oA8MV6bmg

Todd Staker & Scott Woodson Win CATT Old North Final Jordan Lake, NC Oct 17, 2020

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Todd Staker & Scott Woodson Win CATT Old North Final Jordan Lake, NC Oct 17, 2020

The 2021 Old North CATT Trail schedule is posted!  This past Spring we started off with 64 teams entering the 1st Old North Qualifier! We hope we will be back t normal in 2021 and kick off the 2021 Old North in the same fashion!

Todd Staker & Scott Woodson win BIG on Jordan Lake with 5 bass weighing 28.53 lbs! They took home a total of $5,580.00!

28 Teams BF Weight Winnings
todd staker – scott woodson 6.87 28.53 $5,580.00
thomas sheffer -criag leff 6.97 23.65 $1,524.00
billy bledsoe – brian mcdondal 0.00 23.61 $680.00
josh hooks – jamie fajardo 6.87 21.33 $300.00
bryce mcclenney – mike corbishley 0.00 14.84 $200.00
jason suggs – calton hall 7.46 12.29 $196.00
rick dunstan – josh huff 0.00 12.23
tommy marrow – dennis reedy 0.00 11.99
gary johnson- chris inscoe 0.00 11.92
jeff brown ron johnson 6.48 11.65
jeff hodges – johnathan phillips 0.00 10.25
clay ausley – randy parker 0.00 9.82
dennis – kieth allen 6.42 9.65
johnny and william howard 0.00 8.06
jonathan hastings – julian burgoff 0.00 7.19
alec lower – richard lower 4.19 6.15
todd sumner – mike dinterman 0.00 5.48
travis watson – brian benish 0.00 4.44
tom saywell – james saywell 0.00 3.85
jordan young – mark young 0.00 3.23
john mcleland – ericschell 0.00 0.00
vinson nettles- mike cole 0.00 0.00
lee williams – anthoy letta 0.00 0.00
rich z – jamie olive 0.00 0.00
johnny wilder – kevin cheatam 0.00 0.00
steve micheals – terrance cotton 0.00 0.00
chris moss – david newell 0.00 0.00
john michenfelder 0.00 0.00

Eddie Glascock & Billy Dunn Win CATT Kerr Lake, VA Oct 18, 2020

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Eddie Glascock & Billy Dunn Win CATT Kerr Lake, VA Oct 18, 2020

Next CATT on Kerr Lake is Oct 25th at Occoneechee! This is the last Qualifier of the Fall Kerr Lake Trail! You only have to enter 1 Qualifier to be able to enter the 2020 Fall Kerr Lake Final!

Eddie Glascock & Billy Dunn win with 5 bass weighing 15.17 lbs!

Danny & Jason Houchins 2nd with 13.87 lbs!

35 Teams BF Weight Winnings Points
Eddie Glascock/Billy Dunn 3.45 15.17 $1,255.00 110
Jason Houchins/Danny Houchins 4.02 13.87 $1,045.00 109
Ricky Trent/Tyler Trent 2.76 13.02 $460.00 108
Robbie Mayton/Kevin Bostic 3.85 12.64 $305.00 107
Terry Easter/Dave Farrington 3.12 12.07 $120.00 106
Rick Clements/Elton Clements 2.95 11.65 $110.00 105
Ryan Roller/Gary Calwell 2.96 11.46 $100.00 104
William Hubbard/Brian Calloway 0.00 10.76 103
Tony Woodard/Bo Grosvnor 0.00 10.49 102
Dennie Gilbert/Charlie Reed 2.91 10.34 101
Clay Samples/Jeff Edwards 0.00 9.92 100
Eddie Fore/Brian Kirkpatrick 0.00 9.65 99
Ernest Howell/Randy Taylor 3.27 9.49 98
Don Warren/Jack Gorton 2.38 9.35 97
Bryson Peeed/Johnathan Jones 2.93 8.80 96
Jay Folgman/Jeff Clifton 0.00 8.51 95
Brandon Slaughter/Brandon Curtis 0.00 8.35 94
Nathan Webber /Brandon Gray 0.00 8.17 93
Wesley Cashwell 0.00 7.29 92
Donnie Avant/Randy Waterman 0.00 6.94 91
Tom Wilkerson/Tyler Purcell 0.00 6.56 90
James Byrd 3.63 6.52 89
Jimmy Barron/Spencer Barron 0.00 5.19 88
Phillip Dunn/Evan Fleming 0.00 4.87 87
Mark Winn/Mike Nichols 0.00 0.00 86
Will Howard/Mike Whitehurst 0.00 0.00 86
Jake Osborne/Keith Dutton 0.00 0.00 86
Gary Williams/Andrew Kernes 0.00 0.00 86
Derrick Bowden/Matt Littles 0.00 0.00 86
Blake Gillispie/Collin Bennett 0.00 0.00 86
Alex King/Matt Norras 0.00 0.00 86
Gerald Beck/Rodney Sorrell 0.00 0.00 86
Ben Dalton/Dean Dalton 0.00 0.00 86
Tim Thurman/Thomas Jerrell 0.00 0.00 86
Chuck Morton/Mike Riggs 0.00 0.00 86
Total Entrys $2,800.00
BONUS $ $1,100.00
Total Paid At Ramp $3,395.00
Kerr 2020 FALL Final Fund $405.00
2020 CATT Championship/Phantom Fund $50.00
2020 Kerr FALL Final Fund Total $860.00
2020 CATT Championship/Phantom Total $4,100.00

Mixed Bags Likely For Bassmaster Eastern Open On Cherokee Lake

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Mixed Bags Likely For Bassmaster Eastern Open On Cherokee Lake

Tennessee’s Cherokee Lake will host the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open Oct. 29-31, 2020.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

October 26, 2020

Mixed Bags Likely For Bassmaster Eastern Open On Cherokee Lake

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Smallmouth and largemouth bass both abound on Cherokee Lake, but Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Mullins believes it’ll take a mix of both to excel when the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open visits this Holston River reservoir.

Competition days will be Oct. 29-31 with daily takeoffs from TVA Cherokee Dam Boat Launch at 7:45 a.m. ET. Weigh-ins will be held each day at the same location at 3:30 p.m.

Mullins, who makes his home in Mount Carmel, Tenn., reports water temperatures in the upper 60s. That’s definitely headed in the right direction for fall’s unfolding, but it’s not there yet. Due to the lingering warmth, Mullins expects a tough early-fall event.

“To get it triggered here, it needs to be cold,” Mullins said. “The water needs to be in the low 60s or high 50s, and I don’t think it’s going to get there before the tournament. We have a forecast of 80 degree (daytime highs) coming up and we’re not going to get a real cooldown to make them bite.”

The 28,780-acre Cherokee Lake was impounded in 1941 by its namesake dam, which is located on the Holston River, about 52 miles upstream from its confluence with the French Broad River — the beginning of the Tennessee River. Given its location in the mountains of East Tennessee, where flash flooding is a common concern, Cherokee sees dramatic water management fluctuations, especially during the fall drawdown.

“The lake is (several) feet higher than normal for this time of year; and obviously, the more water you have, the more places fish can be in,” Mullins said. “That makes it tougher this time of year because it doesn’t condense them as much as it would when the water’s lower. The fish are probably more scattered out than they are in a normal year.

“I would rather fish in really low water than really high water. It gives the fish fewer options to be on (various spots).”

Describing Cherokee’s habitat as dominated by mud flats and large rock, Mullins said the lake also offers points, humps, pockets and marinas (no permanent docks, only floaters). Higher water, he said, brings more shoreline cover into play, but it also expands the required search effort.

Mullins also said recent years have seen increasing clarity. While largemouth thrive in stained water, he said the greater clarity has benefited the lake’s brown fish.

“In the last seven or eight years, the smallmouth population here has tripled,” he said. “We used to never fish for smallmouth at this lake and now, there are so many, it’s hard to beat them when the conditions are right.”

Mullins attributes the smallmouth boom to increasing water clarity. In recent years, he’s seen a decline in upstream agriculture, reducing turbid runoff and thereby improving the downstream habitat for the sight-feeding smallmouth.

“I would normally say all smallmouth would win (in the fall), but with the water being warm and high, I think you’ll see more mixed bags come into play,” he said. “You can catch smallmouth here until it gets hot in the summer and then it seems that they disappear until the water gets cold again.”

From experience, Mullins says the early fall stage that will greet anglers on Cherokee will accommodate a variety of techniques from the shoreline shallows to offshore spots as deep as 40 feet. Common Cherokee baits include topwater walkers, football jigs, small crankbaits, small swimbaits and drop shots.

“You can catch fish on all that this time of year because there’s not a set thing going on where they’re biting really good,” he said. “I think you’ll see fish everywhere. There’s going to be a lot going on.

“The majority of the largemouth live in the pockets and up in the river, and the majority of your smallmouth are going to live down the lake. Consistency is going to be the key, and the way you caught them the first day is probably not going to be the way you catch them the second day. You just have to wake up and roll with it.”

Mullins estimates it will take a three-day total of about 39 pounds to earn the $35,000 first-place prize.

Cherokee also holds spotted bass, but Mullins said he does not anticipate this species playing a significant role. Cherokee’s spots don’t grow big enough to amass a competitive limit; however, if bites are scarce, one good keeper could finish a limit.

“A big spot on that lake would be 14 inches,” he said. “If any bite counts and it’s hard to catch a limit, you could see some spots play.”

This will be the third of four events on the Eastern Open slate for this year. The Top 4 anglers from the final Eastern Open and Central Open standings will receive Elite invites, along with the Top 4 from the overall combined standings from both divisions. The winner of the overall standings will be crowned Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year and earn a cash prize of $10,000.

Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., is currently leading the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year race, while Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., tops the field in the Eastern Open standings.

Georgia’s Nelson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier

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Georgia’s Nelson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier

Georgia’s Nelson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier

Co-angler Victory Goes to South Carolina’s Henderson

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GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Oct. 26, 2020) Boater Chris Nelson of Social Circle, Georgia, brought a three-day total of 15 bass to the scale weighing 50 pounds, 13 ounces to win the no-entry fee Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship at Lake Lanier. For his victory, Nelson earned $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and automatic entry into the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship, June 3-5, at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee.

“I rotated between 8 to 10 places all three days, fishing brush piles on offshore humps in 25 to 30 feet of water from about mid-lake to the dam,” said Nelson. “I was mostly using a ½-ounce shaky head with a Zoom Magnum Swamp Crawler and had great success with it.”

Nelson said he caught fish the same way in practice as well and felt his victory ultimately came down to timing.

“I probably hit the same brush piles at that depth range two to three times per day, all three days,” said Nelson. “If they weren’t biting early, I could usually get bit later in the afternoon.

“The sunshine definitely helped that bite – I didn’t catch as many on the final day due to the cloud cover, but we still came out well in the end.”

Nelson said winning a Regional Championship felt amazing.

“This is by far the biggest accomplishment I’ve had in my fishing career,” Nelson continued. “My primary goal was to qualify for the All-American and I got that done and am taking home a new boat, so I can’t ask for any more than that out of this tournament.”

The top six boaters that qualified for 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st:       Chris Nelson of Social Circle, Ga., 15 bass, 50-13, $60,000

2nd:      Randy Dover of Buford, Ga., 15 bass, 50-6, $10,000

3rd:       Trent Palmer of Cumming, Ga., 15 bass, 45-15, $5,500

4th:       Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, N.C., 15 bass, 45-2, $3,000

5th:       Collin Smith of Honea Path, S.C., 15 bass, 44-9, $2,000

6th:       Jr. McCay of Robertstown, Ga., 15 bass, 44-1, $1,800

Rounding out the top 12 boaters were:

7th:       Brad Benfield of Demorest, Ga., 15 bass, 42-1, $1,600

8th:       Heath Pack of Ellijay, Ga., 15 bass, 40-6, $1,400

9th:       David Nichol of Gainesville, Ga., 14 bass, 39-15, $1,400

10th:     Christian Greico of Tampa, Fla., 14 bass, 34-13, $1,000

11th:     Jason Reed of Hollister, Fla., 11 bass, 34-2, $1,000

12th:     Justin Raines of Easley, S.C., 13 bass, 33-5, $1,000

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Palmer took home an extra $500 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. 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 FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Kevin Henderson of Honea Path, South Carolina, weighed in 11 bass over three days totaling 29 pounds, 4 ounces to win the top co-angler prize package of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six co-anglers that qualified for the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st:       Kevin Henderson of Honea Path, S.C., 11 bass, 29-4, $50,000

2nd:      Randy Paquette of Sarasota, Fla., 11 bass, 23-12, $5,000

3rd:       John Wilson of Six Mile, S.C., nine bass, 22-13, $2,500

4th:       Mickey Bergeron of Amherst, Va., 11 bass, 22-11, $1,500

5th:       Sam Loveless of Somerset, Ky., 10 bass, 21-12, $1,000

6th:       Dustin Elrod of Jasper, Ga., nine bass, 21-5, $900

Rounding out the top 12 co-anglers were:

7th:       Jason Hinger of Timberlake, N.C., eight bass, 21-1, $1,250

8th:       Mike Twitty of Mt. Juliet, Tenn., nine bass, 20-5, $700

9th:       B.K. Kelley of Colonial Heights, V.A., eight bass, 20-5, $600

10th:     Trevor Wright of Chesterfield, Va., nine bass, 20-2, $500

11th:     Chris Graham of Blue Ridge, Ga., eight bass, 19-15, $500

12th:     Jeff White of Rhoadesville, Va., seven bass, 17-6, $500

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship on Lake Lanier was hosted by the Gainesville Convention and Visitors Bureau. It featured the top pros and co-anglers from the Gator (Florida), Music City (Tennessee), Piedmont (North Carolina/Virginia) and Savannah River (South Carolina/Georgia) divisions.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held June 3-5 at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Missouri’s Fitzpatrick Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship by Four Ounces on Table Rock Lake

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Missouri’s Fitzpatrick Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship by Four Ounces on Table Rock Lake

Missouri’s Fitzpatrick Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship by Four Ounces on Table Rock Lake

Co-angler Victory Goes to Arkansas’ Hays, First Woman to Win a Regional Championship

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BRANSON, Mo. (Oct. 26, 2020) Boater Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, brought a three-day total of 15 bass to the scale weighing 38 pounds, 4 ounces to win the no-entry fee Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship at Table Rock Lake. For his victory, Fitzpatrick earned $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and automatic entry into the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship, June 3-5, at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee.

“I caught most of my fish on a 1-ounce Omega Football Jig,” said Fitzpatrick. “The area I was fishing was slick, with no wood or rock – the only thing that jig hung on was the jaw of the bass I kept pulling out.”

Fitzpatrick said the fish in his honey hole were abundant.

“My co-angler and I got a limit within a half hour on the spot on day one,” said Fitzpatrick. “The second and third day it took me until about 11 a.m. to get a limit. I culled seven or eight times on the final day, but I was only culling ounces – I told her I’d already made the All-American, but the only chance for a win was to go shallow and catch a couple big ones.

“On the second dock, I flipped a ½-ounce Omega Flippin’ Jig and caught a 4-pounder and then a 3-pounder.”

Fitzpatrick said those two fish were the difference makers in his 4-ounce victory.

“This is amazing,” said Fitzpatrick. “God’s got a plan and He is so good.”

The top six boaters that qualified for 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st:       Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 38-4, $60,000

2nd:      Shane Long of Willard, Mo., 15 bass, 38-0, $10,000

3rd:       Brandon Booth of Bryan, Texas, 15 bass, 31-8, $5,000

4th:       Eric Olliverson of Lampe, Mo., 12 bass, 31-7, $3,000

5th:       Josh Busby of Rogersville, Mo., 13 bass, 30-14, $2,500

6th:       Hunter Litchfield of Macomb, Ill., 15 bass, 29-10, $1,800

Rounding out the top 12 boaters were:

7th:       Beau Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., 12 bass, 28-4, $1,600

8th:       Richard Ballard of Sulphur, La., 112 bass, 27-7, $1,400

9th:       Mike Roller of Purdy, Mo., 12 bass, 26-14, $1,200

10th:     Audie Prewitt, Jr. of Benton, Ark., 13 bass, 26-10, $1,000

11th:     Brad Morgan of Ashdown, Ark., 11 bass, 25-14, $1,000

12th:     Jared Miller of Norman, Okla., 10 bass, 22-3, 1,200

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Busby took home an extra $500 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. 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 FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Melinda Hays of Hot Springs, Arkansas became the first woman to win a Phoenix

Bass Fishing League Regional Championship in FLW history. Hays weighed 10 bass over three days totaling 22 pounds, 4 ounces and took home the top co-angler prize package of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Hays will be only the fourth female angler in FLW history to qualify for or compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The top six co-anglers that qualified for the 2021 All-American were:

1st:       Melinda Hays of Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 22-4, $50,000

2nd:      Cedric Jackson of Sicily Island, La., eight bass, 18-3, $5,000

3rd:       Chase Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Mo., seven bass, 17-1, $2,500

4th:       Ken Coats of Claremore, Okla., six bass, 16-14, $1,500

5th:       Jake Elledge of Broken Arrow, Okla., six bass, 16-3, $1,000

6th:       Kanon Harmon of Benton, Ark., seven bass, 16-0, $900

Rounding out the top 12 co-anglers were:

7th:       Jason Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, seven bass, 15-2, $800

8th:       Troy Sippl of Sussex, Wis., six bass, 13-14, $700

9th:       Josh Castleberry of Jessieville, Ark., six bass, 13-2, $600

10th:     Jonathan Jones of Grain Valley, Mo., three bass, 11-4, $500

11th:     Troy Carrell of Woodville, Texas, five bass, 10-14, $500

12th:     Bradley Thacher of Preston, Minn., four bass, 10-2, $500

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake was hosted by ExploreBranson.com. It featured the top pros and co-anglers from the Arkie (Arkansas), Cowboy (Texas), Great Lakes (Wisconsin) and Okie (Oklahoma) divisions.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held June 3-5 at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Z-Man® resurrects an all-time favorite finesse jig

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Z-Man® resurrects an all-time favorite finesse jig

Z-Man pro Miles “Sonar” Burghoff flashes his top OG Mushroom-rigged ElaZtech baits.

OG™ Mushroom Jighead Honors the Original Ned Rig Jig

Z-Man® resurrects an all-time favorite finesse jig

Ladson, SC (October 26, 2020) – Call it the keystone of the original Ned Rig; the yin to the yang of ElaZtech®. The world’s best finesse anglers have forever considered it the foundation of bass fishing’s now-trendy technique. So, when Z-Man recently revealed its new OG Mushroom Jighead, everyone from Ned Kehde himself down to the last member of his influential finesse network, rejoiced.

The classic, original Ned Rig jighead is back and better than ever.

Matching the definitive half-head mushroom jig shape that defined an era of exceptionally successful anglers, the OG Mushroom Jighead has emerged from its refreshed, refined jig mold to reveal a model of elegant fish-catching simplicity. Angler-fans of the original mushroom design immediately recognize the clean, perfectly rounded edges, seamless paint apps and lock-and-hold molded-in double bait keeper.

Ned Kehde’s favorite red OG Mushroom Jighead

“During the formative years of our Midwest finesse endeavors, this jig was among the primary tools we relied upon day in and day out,” affirms Kehde, a Hall of Fame angler-communicator. “When the manufacturer of the original mushroom jighead closed its doors a few years ago, it left a gap in our angling arsenals. Z-Man started getting a lot of phone calls, folks pleading their case for a replica and a renaissance of this classic bass jig. Thankfully, they listened to us.”

Kehde, who refers to a 1/16-ounce #4 mushroom jig as “the most unbeatable jig in the history of the world” breaks from tradition in more ways than one. A fan of small #4 and #2 jighooks and lurid red jigheads, Kehde himself was instrumental in resurrecting and delineating the fine-tuned attributes of Z-Man’s OG Mushroom.

Gifting anglers with a personalized selection of Kehde’s favorite finesse offerings, Z-Man endeavored to rebuild the classic jig with a digitally enhanced mold for maximum precision. Tough powder-coated paint finishes and pro-grade VMC jighooks further elevate the OG Mushrooms’ allure.

Kehde’s preferences yielded a 1/32-ounce #4, 1/16-ounce #4 and 3/32-ounce #2, each offered in red, blue, chartreuse, black and green pumpkin patterns. Interestingly, his all-time favorite color, fire-engine red, reflects a trick he learned from Japanese bass legend Shinichi Fukae.

“You can drag the OG Mushroom over rocky terrain and rarely get hung up—it’s rounded crown rolling, pivoting and activating your bait,” he suggests. “The small #4 hook makes folks immediately skeptical, but I feel I simply hook many more bass with minimal hookset pressure and believe I do way less damage to the fish with a smaller hook. Beyond that, a bigger hook just gets in the way of an ElaZtech bait’s natural gyrations. Moreover, a smaller hook slides through brush and vegetation much better.”

Kehde employs a retrieve method he calls no feel. “Most anglers prefer to fish a jig so they’re in constant contact with it, mostly hopping it along bottom. But the way we prefer to fish, if you’ve got constant contact, it means your rig is too heavy.”

Specifically, Kehde and friends swim, glide and shake the little jigs 6 to 12 inches above the bottom over 3 to 12 feet of water, primarily with 1/32- and 1/16-ounce jigheads. “You can’t do this with a heavier ¼-ounce jig,” he says. Rigged with a variety of Z-Man finesse baits, Kehde regularly chalks up over 20 bass per hour.

Meanwhile, exemplifying a new generation of talented young finesse anglers, FLW Tour pro Miles “Sonar” Burghoff ascribes the term ultra-finesse to next level presentations with the OG Mushroom Jig. “Ultra-finesse is all about a super slow rate of fall, micro baits and often, gin clear water,” says the veteran Tennessee-based pro.

“In extreme conditions, bass can become both line- and hook-shy; they’ll actually avoid your bait if the hook is too big. But rig a TRD TickerZ™ or Finesse TRD™ on a little #2 or #4 hook and you start getting bites. In some cases, we’re even trimming the already subtle Finesse TRD down a bit for even more finesse. At times, this is a killer little trick.

“Add an extra-slow rate of fall and you’ve got an awesome triggering move for finicky fish. To many anglers, 1/32 and 1/16 ounce jigs sound crazy. But man, these little can jigs take your finesse game to a whole other level.”

Burghoff calls further attention to the jig’s special colors. “A blue jig, for example, gives the fish something a little different. Often, they’ll react favorably to one of these colors they don’t see very often. At increased depths, many colors lose their luster, but blue maintains its vibrancy down there.”

Married to the “OG” of the bait world, the jig’s double bait keeper locks a Z-Man Finesse TRD into optimum position, snugging tight against the flat underside of the mushroom. Burghoff especially likes pairing the jig with a TRD TicklerZ, “the smallest, subtlest of all ElaZtech finesse baits.”

“The OG really is a true, old-school mushroom head,” he adds. “The jig’s got no sharp edges or imperfections. It has a seamless quality to it that lets you drag it through gravel without catching or hanging up. The lighter jighead lets you fish it over rocky surfaces or sparse vegetation without snagging up.

“Maybe the coolest thing about the OG is you can fish it any way you want. Skip it around docks. Slow-swim it with a Slim SwimZ™ paddletail. The 90-degree angle between eyelet and hook shank creates a sweet shimmying action when you use it as a finesse swimbait head. And that sharp little VMC hook doesn’t take a lot of pressure to set. Tie it to a quality 4- or 6-pound fluorocarbon, such as Seaguar Gold Label, and you’re good to go.”

Built for anglers of every skill level, the OG Mushroom Jighead honors the tradition, craftsmanship and allure of the original gangster of mushroom jigs. Available now at outdoor retailers nationwide or by visiting www.zmanfishing.com.
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