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Gurdon’s Swayze Throws Biffle Bug to Earn Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Greers Ferry

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March 25, 2024

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Gurdon’s Swayze Throws Biffle Bug to Earn Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Greers Ferry

Boater winner Justin Swayze of Gurdon, Arkansas, and Strike-King co-angler winner Zach Gilbert of Bauxite, Arkansas.

Loudon’s Woods Picks up First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Dale Hollow Lake

Brian Carter

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March 25, 2024

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Loudon’s Woods Picks up First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Dale Hollow Lake

Boater winner Jacob Woods of Loudon, Tennessee, and Strike-King co-angler winner David Keefer of Charleston, Illinois.

Hernando’s Walker Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Ross Barnett Reservoir

Brian Carter

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March 25, 2024

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Hernando’s Walker Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Ross Barnett Reservoir

Boater winner John Walker of Hernando, Mississippi, and Strike-King co-angler winner Ben McCord of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

Killen’s Beck Catches 28-7 Limit of Smallmouth to Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Pickwick Lake

Brian Carter

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March 25, 2024

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Killen’s Beck Catches 28-7 Limit of Smallmouth to Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Pickwick Lake

Boater winner Donny Beck of Killen, Alabama, and Strike-King co-angler winner Brandon Bell of Starkville, Mississippi.

Hamner completes wire-to-wire Bassmaster Classic victory on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees

Brian Carter

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March 25, 2024

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Hamner completes wire-to-wire Bassmaster Classic victory on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Justin Hamner of Northport, Ala., claimed the 54th Bassmaster Classic title on Sunday with a limit of five bass that weighed 15 pounds, 13 ounces, for a three-day total of 58-3.

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

March 24, 2024

Hamner completes wire-to-wire Bassmaster Classic victory on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees

TULSA, Okla. — When most anglers win the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, they at least pretend like it came as the biggest surprise of their lives.

But not Justin Hamner.

The fourth-year Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Northport, Ala., said openly that he “just had a feeling” coming into this year’s Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors that he was going to win — and in three days on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, he turned that feeling into a hard-core reality.

Hamner completed an assault on B.A.S.S. history with a Championship Sunday limit of five bass that weighed 15 pounds, 13 ounces, and pushed his three-day total to 58-3. He became only the 10th angler in the 54-year history of the event to lead all three days.

“I have no idea what’s been going on, but this past month has been pretty dang good,” said Hamner, who earned $300,000 and the coveted Ray Scott trophy. “I can’t explain it, but I really did feel like I had a good chance to win.”

That feeling wasn’t exactly reinforced during a tough practice when Hamner said the best bass he caught was a 3-pounder. But he started the tournament on the spot where he caught that fish and used a shad-colored, deep-diving jerkbait to put together a limit that weighed 22-6 and gave him the Day 1 lead.

He went back there for Day 2. But, just like in practice, he couldn’t replicate a pattern and was forced to redirect.

“The wind was blowing a ton of bait into the pocket I was fishing,” he said. “When all of that bait got in there, those fish were keyed in on the bait and they wouldn’t bite my jerkbait. I couldn’t make them bite it, and I still can’t really explain it.”

That’s when Hamner relocated again and started using Garmin LiveScope to target largemouth in brushpiles. He quickly caught two 5-pounders that pushed him to a 20-pound limit and helped him maintain the lead going into the final day.

Despite being in the most visible spot a professional angler can hold, Hamner said he never got nervous until around 1 p.m. on Championship Sunday. At that point, he said he lost four big bass, but he couldn’t say if nerves caused him to lose the fish or if losing the fish caused the nerves.

“The first two didn’t bother me at all,” he said. “I still had that calm feeling. But around 1 o’clock, the fish changed and wouldn’t even react. I don’t know what caused what. There’s just no telling what was going through my mind because the pressure was finally starting to get to me.”

Despite his troubles, Hamner’s limit of 15-13 helped him hold off Wisconsin angler Adam Rasmussen who made a hard charge with 18-5 on the final day but finished almost 3 pounds back with 55-4.

“My father taught me not to talk about myself, so it’s gonna be hard for me to get used to calling myself the Bassmaster Classic champion,” said Hamner, who finished 14th and third in the first two Elite Series events of the year in February. “But it’s been an amazing month.”

Hamner said he hadn’t thought about where he’ll put the massive Ray Scott trophy. Instead, he said he’s more worried about moving out of the double-wide trailer he’s living in — something that should be easier to do with the $350,000 he’s won over the past two months.

Something else that will likely be easier for the 33-year-old is promoting his sponsors.

Though he was coy about which brand of deep-diving jerkbait he used this week, he said he added No. 6 Duo Realis treble hooks — and since they were made from a heavy wire, they helped the bait sink a little further. He stuck with Yo-Zuri T7 Premium Fluorocarbon all week, using 12-pound test when he was around lighter cover and 14-pound test around thicker brush.

He used a variety of high-speed baitcasting reels, all on 7-foot Halo Scott Canterbury Series medium-heavy cranking rods.

One of the biggest keys to his success, he said, was adding scent from the BaitFuel Hardbait Stick.

“It’s the new stick that they came out with that you can actually apply to the hard bait,” he said. “I had like six fish follow my jerkbait today. I would stop and put that stuff on and then catch them. There’s no doubt in my mind it makes a huge difference.

“It was like immediate. The whole school would come up chasing it, but they wouldn’t eat it. I put that on there and the first one that would come up would eat it.”

Hamner described his cadence with the jerkbait as “weird.”

“I change it up a lot — so much that my friends make fun of me,” he said. “I let Garmin LiveScope tell me in real time how the fish are reacting to the bait.

“The key, to me, is figuring out what speed they want the bait — and today, they wanted it faster.”

When all the talk of rods, reels and baits was done, Hamner summed up his amazing week with a question.

“What just happened?” he asked. “I always thought this lake set up the way I like to fish. It’s like Lake Tuscaloosa back home. You can’t do the same thing twice on that lake either. Maybe that helped me this week — maybe. I honestly just can’t explain it.

“But, like I said, I had a great feeling coming into the week.”

Florida angler Aaron Yavorsky, who turned 18 last week and now holds the record as the youngest angler ever to take part in the Classic, earned the $2,500 Mercury Big Bass of the Tournament prize with the 6-12 largemouth that he caught on Saturday.

The Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Week was the 22-6 bag caught by Hamner on Day 1. That earned him an extra $7,000.

Hamner also earned the $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay award for being the highest-placing eligible entrant.

Alabama pro Will Davis Jr. won the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency Prize for listing his weight for the week as accurately as anyone in the field.

2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors 3/22-3/24
Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Tulsa/Grove OK.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 15 58-03 0 $307,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 20-00 Day 3: 5 15-13
2. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 15 55-04 0 $50,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 18-05
3. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 50-07 0 $40,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 14-03
4. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 15 50-01 0 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 17-10
5. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 49-11 0 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 16-10
6. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 15 49-06 0 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 19-14
7. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 15 49-04 0 $21,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 17-15
8. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 49-04 0 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 17-03 Day 3: 5 15-09
9. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 48-15 0 $21,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 5 18-15
10. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 15 48-05 0 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 16-02
11. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 15 48-00 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 18-02
12. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 15 47-12 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 5 14-09
13. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 15 46-09 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 17-04
14. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 46-08 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 21-06 Day 3: 5 12-04
15. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 46-04 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 16-10
16. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 15 45-03 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 15-04
17. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 15 44-09 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 13-06
18. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 15 44-02 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 16-04 Day 3: 5 14-06
19. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 43-10 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 14-07
20. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 43-08 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 14-02
21. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 43-02 0 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 14-04 Day 3: 5 13-04
22. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 42-02 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 11-11
23. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 13 42-01 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 3 10-06
24. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 42-01 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 12-11
25. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 42-00 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 14-04 Day 3: 5 12-10
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BIG BASS
Day
1 Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 06-05 $1,000.00
2 Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 06-12 $1,000.00
3 Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 06-07 $1,000.00

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MERCURY BIG BASS
Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 06-12 $2,500.00
CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG

Justin Hamner Northport, AL 22-06 $7,000.00

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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 54 272 774-07
2 53 273 786-15
3 24 123 382-00
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131 668 1943-06

Montevallo’s Cory and Sledge win Bassmaster College Classic on Keystone Lake

Brian Carter

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March 25, 2024

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Montevallo’s Cory and Sledge win Bassmaster College Classic on Keystone Lake

University of Montevallo’s Tyler Cory and Scott Sledge took the Bassmaster College Classic title with a five-bass, 22-pound limit Sunday on Keystone Lake.

Photo by Grant Moxley/B.A.S.S.

March 24, 2024

Montevallo’s Cory and Sledge win Bassmaster College Classic on Keystone Lake

SAND SPRINGS, Okla. — With a team from the University of Montevallo in the lead and only one other team (also from Montevallo) yet to weigh in, the Falcons already were guaranteed winners in the Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Tyler Cory and Scott Sledge emerged victoriously with the five-bass, 22-pound limit they sacked Sunday on Keystone Lake. The last of nine teams in the tournament to weigh in, they knocked Montevallo teammates James Willoughby and Nick Dumke from atop the standings, dropping them to second with an 18-3 limit.

The dramatic ending took place at Tulsa’s BOK Center prior to the final day of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors. The thousands of fishing faithful inside the arena sent up a roar of cheers for Cory and Sledge, who thanked the throngs for sharing the experience with them.

“This is just incredible,” said Sledge, a 22-year-old senior from Greenwood, Ind. “You dream about this opportunity. And in front of this crowd — Tulsa really showed up.”

So did the Cory-Sledge duo.

“We started today at a place not far from takeoff that we figured was gonna get blown out early with all this wind,” Cory said. “We left there about 7:45 (a.m.) with a limit, one of them almost a 4-pounder. So, we knew we had one keeper there. Then we ran up the lake to some creeks we fished in practice. Then it was a matter of just picking away at them. We got one here and there. It wasn’t fast.”

The pair fished channel swings and banks in up to 6 feet of water. They didn’t use LiveScope technology, either, preferring to “throw at the places that looked like they should have fish,” Cory said. He fished from the front of the boat, leaning on a shallow-diving jerkbait that imitated the shad in abundance at Keystone. Sledge followed with a shad-colored 1/2-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait with a gold Colorado blade and a silver willow blade. He paired it with a 3-inch Keitech swimbait that was also shad color.

“I was working it as slowly as a I could, maybe a foot off the bottom,” he said.

Cory and Sledge qualified for the Bassmaster College Classic after finishing second in the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops Team of the Year standings, behind Montevallo teammates Dumke and Easton Fothergill. Fothergill, of course, won the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket in October and fished in the Bassmaster Classic this week.

Cory and Sledge said winning the College Classic tournament on Sunday helped dull the pain of the second-place finish in last year’s TOY standings.

“We knew the Team of the Year race was probably gonna come down to us and Easton and Nick,” Cory said. “They’re two of the best in college fishing right now, so to lose to them wasn’t anything too hard to swallow. But you only get so many opportunities. To win something like this makes up for it.”

Sledge agreed.

“This is a different feeling, really,” he said. “It feels bigger, winning in front of all these people, hearing that crowd.”

Cory and Sledge began fishing together as freshmen at Montevallo. Both 22 years old and seniors, they know their successful college run is nearing its end. They both hope to land jobs in the fishing industry upon graduation and eventually try to fish the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN and beyond.

But on Sunday, they preferred to relish the Bassmaster College Classic win.

“Scott’s the best co-angler you can ask for,” said Cory, who hails from Amherst, Wis. “Three or four that we weighed in today were his. He played cleanup back there today and that’s usually how it is. We work well as a team.”

“We’re always thinking the same thing on the boat,” said Sledge, a Greenwood, Ind., native. “He’ll say something and I’ll say, ‘I was just about to say that.’ I couldn’t ask for better from my time fishing with him.”

Montevallo had three of the nine teams in Sunday’s competition. Tandems qualified by finishing first or second in a 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops event. The Team of the Year and the defending champions also took part.

Logan Barrett and Luke Glasgow of Mississippi State University placed third with 17-11. Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith of Auburn University were fourth with 16-11, and John Mark Berry and Blake Bullock of Blue Mountain Christian University were fifth with 14-3.

2024 College Classic Keystone Lake 3/24-3/24
Keystone Lake, Sand Springs OK.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Tyler Cory – Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 0
Day 1: 5 22-00 Total: 5 22-00
2. James Willoughby – Nick Dumke University of Montevallo 0
Day 1: 5 18-03 Total: 5 18-03
3. Logan Barrett – Luke Glasgow Mississippi State University 0
Day 1: 5 17-11 Total: 5 17-11
4. Hayden Marbut – Tucker Smith Auburn University 0
Day 1: 5 16-11 Total: 5 16-11
5. John Mark Berry – Blake Bullock Blue Mountain Christian Universi 0
Day 1: 5 14-03 Total: 5 14-03
6. Dalton Head – Peyton Harris University of Montevallo 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
7. Cole Holloway – Brandon Martin Emmanuel University 0
Day 1: 5 11-15 Total: 5 11-15
8. Tyler Flacke – Aric Szambelan Missouri State University 0
Day 1: 3 10-04 Total: 3 10-04
9. Dale Hansard – Jacksonville State University 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 7 39 125-13
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7 39 125-13

Greg Stallings & Ricky Grant WIN CATT Smith Mountain Lake with 23.61lbs

Brian Carter

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March 24, 2024

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Greg Stallings & Ricky Grant WIN CATT Smith Mountain Lake with 23.61lbs

Man what a day on Smith Mountain lake as you hear in the video by tournament director Kevin Dawson the lake is on fire & you should be fishing on it. Enjoy the interviews & photos below.

CLICK HERE TO SEE RESULTS

Hamner stays calm and redirects to maintain Bassmaster Classic lead on Grand Lake

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Brian Carter

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March 24, 2024

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Hamner stays calm and redirects to maintain Bassmaster Classic lead on Grand Lake

Alabama’s Justin Hamner has maintained his lead on Day 2 of the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees with a total of 42 pounds, 6 ounces.

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

March 23, 2024

Hamner stays calm and redirects to maintain Bassmaster Classic lead on Grand Lake

TULSA, Okla. — Since practice began last week, Alabama pro Justin Hamner says he hasn’t been able to duplicate two patterns from one day to the next.

That trend continued Saturday, but it doesn’t seem to be affecting him adversely.

Hamner caught yet another five-bass limit that weighed 20 pounds and increased his two-day total to 42 pounds, 6 ounces, to maintain the lead in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Hamner, who has seemed strangely calm all week, said his only plan for Championship Sunday is to “win the Bassmaster Classic.” Beyond that, he isn’t sure what he’ll be doing once the tournament resumes.

“The dream is going pretty good so far, but we’ve still got one more day,” said Hamner, who is fishing only his second career Classic. “I had to do something totally different today than what I did on the first day of the tournament. The area I started in this morning had completely changed, and I left there around 10 or 10:30 (a.m.).

“In my new spot, I immediately caught three big ones and left there.”

Hamner had been hoping that increased winds would improve his bite. But on Saturday, he said it actually hurt him and forced him to change his plans.

“Yesterday, when I caught all of those fish in those creeks, there was zero bait,” he said. “Today, the wind actually blew directly into those creeks and the fish were more active. They were feeding on the bait, but I could not get those fish to bite.

“It was the weirdest thing and I have no explanation for it.”

The forecast for Championship Sunday calls for 20 to 30 mph winds with occasional gusts up to 40 mph. Hamner said he plans to start on the same brushpiles where he caught his best fish Saturday — and if that doesn’t work, he’ll redirect on the fly once again.

“It’s been a weird feeling all week,” he said. “As soon as I get on the water, I’m not feeling any pressure. I’m playing with geese, catching big bass and having fun. I plan to do that tomorrow — and win the Bassmaster Classic.”

Hamner’s closest competitor at the end of Day 2 was Wisconsin pro Adam Rasmussen with 36-15. A famed walleye guide turned bass pro, Rasmussen said the high winds on Sunday could help him simply by making things tough for the rest of the crowd.

“Where I’m from, I certainly know how to hold the boat really well in high winds,” said Rasmussen, who guides mainly on Sturgeon Bay. “I think that could cause some guys to stumble a little bit.”

Rasmussen said he has one point that’s been “really special” all week, and he plans to milk it for all it’s worth Sunday.

“I’ve gone to it four or five times a day, and almost every time I’ve gone back to it, I’ve gotten bit,” he said. “I might roll in there first thing tomorrow morning, and if I get some bites, I might just pole down on it — just sit on it and see what I can do.”

Entering the day with more than a 5-pound deficit, Rasmussen said he plans to “swing for the fences” to try and win the $300,000 first-place prize. He thinks it will take 23 to 24 pounds — and maybe even a little luck in the form of Hamner struggling — but he knows the big weight is out there.

“When I came to pre-practice here, I had a 29-pound day,” he said. “So, I know what lives here. This is Grand Lake; it has giants. I just have to go catch them.”

Missouri pro Cody Huff caught 15-2 Saturday and fell slightly from second place to third with a two-day mark of 36-4. He rests in a logjam of anglers within striking distance, including Brandon Card (34-4), Hank Cherry (33-11), Cooper Gallant (33-3) and Lee Livesay (33-1).

“It was a complete turnaround for me today,” Huff said. “All the areas that had worked really well for me yesterday, the water temperature had dropped like 8 or 9 degrees with that real cold night. The shad weren’t up, the bass weren’t up. It was just a ghost town.”

A third-year Elite who lists Bassmaster legend Rick Clunn as one of his mentors, Huff didn’t have a bass in his livewell at 11 a.m. But he adjusted and kept himself in contention for the Classic trophy.

“I got on another deal and caught what I caught and broke off another good fish,” Huff said. “With my main pattern toasted, I just had to go fishing and figure them out again. That’s this lake. It’s gonna be that way again tomorrow because it’s gonna look like a new lake again.”

Florida angler Aaron Yavorsky, who turned 18 last week and now holds the record as the youngest angler ever to take part in the Classic, had Big Bass of the Day on Saturday with a 6-12 largemouth. He currently holds the lead for Mercury Big Bass of the Tournament.

The Top 25 remaining anglers will take off at 7:15 a.m. CT Sunday from Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility, with the final weigh-in scheduled for approximately 5:00 p.m. at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa. Door will open at 3:15 p.m., with the Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops weigh-in to be held at 3:35 p.m. The winning Classic angler will earn $300,000 and the most-coveted trophy in pro fishing, the Ray Scott trophy.

Click here for a full list of how to watch the event online and on television.

2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors 3/22-3/24
Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Tulsa/Grove OK.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 42-06 0
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 20-00
2. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 10 36-15 0
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 17-10
3. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 36-04 0
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 15-02
4. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 34-04 0
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 21-06
5. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 33-11 0
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 17-03
6. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10 33-03 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 19-05
7. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 33-01 0
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 14-02
8. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 10 32-07 0
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 14-02
9. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 10 32-03 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 17-10
10. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 31-11 0
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 15-03
11. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 31-05 0
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 15-08
12. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 31-03 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 18-02
13. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 30-07 0
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 17-00
14. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 30-00 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 13-13
15. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 29-15 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 17-02
16. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 29-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 19-01
17. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 29-14 0
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 14-04
18. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 10 29-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 16-04
19. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 29-10 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 16-07
20. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 29-08 0
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 16-09
21. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 29-06 0
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 14-00
22. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 29-06 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 14-04
23. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 29-06 0
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-15
24. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 10 29-05 0
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 14-11
25. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 29-03 0
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 13-12
26. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 29-03 0
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 14-07
27. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 29-01 0
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 12-10
28. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 28-11 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 15-10
29. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 10 28-10 0
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 13-10
30. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 28-02 0
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 17-08
31. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10 27-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 13-15
32. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 27-11 0
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 13-10
33. John Cox Debary, FL 10 27-09 0
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 10-11
34. Cole Sands Calhoun , TN 10 27-04 0
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 15-05
35. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 27-03 0
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 12-13
36. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 10 27-01 0
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 12-12
37. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 26-15 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 10-12
38. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 9 26-14 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 4 11-12
39. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 26-11 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-06
40. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 26-08 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 12-08
41. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 10 26-01 0
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 12-10
42. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 26-00 0
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 10-11
43. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 24-11 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 13-06
44. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 10 24-10 0
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 13-09
45. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 10 24-05 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 13-07
46. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 9 24-01 0
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 4 12-14
47. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 23-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 10-11
48. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 23-09 0
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 10-04
49. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 23-09 0
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 10-14
50. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 22-13 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 10-13
51. Powell Kemp IV Scotland Neck, NC 10 22-05 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 09-11
52. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 10 21-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 09-00
53. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 20-04 0
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 10-10
54. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 16-10 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-10
55. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 7 15-14 0
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 5 12-01
56. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 12-08 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 54 272 774-07
2 53 273 786-15
———————————-
107 545 1561-06

Surviving the Classic Cut: Living to Make the Dream Happen

Bruce Callis

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March 24, 2024

0

Surviving the Classic Cut: Living to Make the Dream Happen

by Bruce Callis Jr

And like that, day 2 of the Bassmaster Classic is now in the history book. The field of 56 has been cut to the top 25 and history will be made on championship Sunday. Who will be the winner?

Day 2 started off chilly, but for some of the anglers, the cool start didn’t make a difference. The fish may have moved, but they found them. Some found lots of smaller bass, while some found a better quality. It was a day full of excitement on the live feed.

And while the feed kept us involved, the Expo proved to be fun way to watch it today as well. There was a great crowd filling it all day and there were plenty of kids there with their parents. It is always fun getting to watch the kids having fun. Of course having so many big anglers in the booths makes for long lines to meet them.

Today was also The Girl Fishing Gang meet up at the Bass Pro Shop Booth. It was great getting to see so many woman from different generations and young ladies in the fishing industry get together. It is all about supporting each other. The highlight is always the young girls who come over to get to meet the ladies. Their role models who are showing them that they can do anything they put their minds to in the fishing world.

And then it was time to make the move over to the BOK Center for the weigh-in and see who made the cut to fish Championship Sunday. A great crowd go to see Kevin VanDam, Johnny Morris, and Bill Dance come into the arena. And then finally, the first angler made their way into the arena. Bryan Schmitt stepped to the stage to put 14 pounds 15 ounces on the scale to take the lead on day 2.

For those that did not see the live feed on our Facebook page, they missed see Tyler Rivet as he showed a kid his big bass for the day, before getting out the American flag and exposing his guns to enter the arena. Tyler had a 13 pound 6 ounce bag, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to secure him a spot for Sunday.

While standing there watching Bryan and Tyler prepare to make their entrance, I actually got to meet a young man and his dad who were attending their first Classic together. What was really amazing was the fact that they were from Powhatan, Virginia. We had a great time talking fishing before I finished my filming and then headed into the media room.

And then Justin Hamner rode into the arena and stepped up onto the stage, holding what he hoped would be a bag big enough to keep him in the lead for another day. With another big bag weighing 20 pounds, he did just that!

And then it was over. Back stage was a madhouse, everyone trying to get that interview in, anglers trying to get a quick drink and something to eat before making the 1.5 hour ride back to where they were staying. Some stayed around local to get something to eat with their family before heading out.

The top 25 were set, with young Aaron Yavorsky holding the lead for big bass for the day with a beautiful 6 pound 12 ounce bass, but falling just short in his first Classic. Who will find the right ones tomorrow? And who will be holding the trophy high tomorrow evening? Who will make that dream come true?

Louisiana’s Adcock and White take Bassmaster High School Classic title

Brian Carter

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March 23, 2024

0

Louisiana’s Adcock and White take Bassmaster High School Classic title

Louisiana’s Carsen Adcock and Jase White of Bossier Parish High School has won the 2024 Bassmaster High School Classic at Keystone Lake with a total of 19 pounds, 12 ounces.

Photo by Laura Ann Foshee/B.A.S.S.

March 23, 2024

Louisiana’s Adcock and White take Bassmaster High School Classic title

SAND SPRINGS, Okla. — Carsen Adcock and Jase White had never fished on Keystone Lake before competing in the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School Classic on Saturday.

But that didn’t stop the Louisiana tandem from establishing a pattern early and riding it to victory in the Sooner State.

Adcock and White, representing Louisiana’s Bossier Parish High School bass team, caught a limit of five largemouth bass Saturday that weighed 19 pounds, 12 ounces. That was more than enough weight to earn them the championship trophy, which they hoisted for thousands of fishing fans gathered at Tulsa’s BOK Center before Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.

Competitors qualified for the High School Classic by placing first or second in one of four Strike King Bassmaster High School tournaments last year or by winning the 2023 Bassmaster High School Series or Bassmaster Junior Series championship tournaments. Adcock and White won a regular-season event on the Red River in northeast Louisiana last May, setting up Saturday’s championship run.

Despite fishing new water, the duo was remarkably consistent on Keystone. They caught their best bass early, with the heaviest weighing 4 1/4 pounds and the lightest checking in at 3 1/2 pounds. They fished along bluff walls, primarily targeting dropoffs in 2 to 8 feet of water.

White fished from the front of the boat, throwing a Berkley Dime 6 crankbait in the river bream color. Adcock followed from the back of the boat with a green shad Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer.

It was a winning combination from start to finish.

“We both caught fish all day long,” White said. “I think the two different presentations helped us a lot. I was getting bites a little bit deeper and (Carsen) was getting more shallow bites along those rock walls.”

The terrain, safe to say, was very different than anything they’d previously fished on home water in northeast Louisiana, where trees and grass are the primary structure for holding bass. They took to Keystone early, though, with about 25 keeper bites before 11 a.m. They only made one upgrade after that time, and that was for less than half a pound.

“I think the weather helped us early,” Adcock said. “It was really windy and cloudy (with temperatures in the mid-40s) this morning, and we were catching. But the sun popped out about 11 (or) 12 o’clock and things started to shut down. We were still catching fish, but they weren’t the quality of fish we caught in the morning.”

Adcock, 17, is a junior at Haughton High School. White, 19, graduated from Haughton High School last spring and now studies marketing management at Drury University. The team fished together for the first time in the 2023 season, but White said he’d like to lure Adcock to Drury where they could continue their winning ways.

“It might happen,” Adcock said. “We have good chemistry. We don’t have to say a lot on the boat. We adjust off one another, and we fish well together.”

Trey Blackmon III and Carson Falk of Florida’s Capital City Bass Hunters finished second with a limit weighing 16-15. They weighed first on Saturday and held the lead until Adcock and White bumped them from the top spot.

Braden Crumley and Logan Withrow of Tennessee’s Chilhowee Bassmasters placed third with five bass weighing 15-2. Connor Beach, of Florida’s Liberty County Anglers, fished alone on Keystone and finished fourth with 14-0.

None of the other four teams fishing Saturday managed a limit, but the tournament was about much more than competition, said Bossier Parish boat captain (and Jace White’s dad) Brandon White.

“This means the world to me to spend the time with these two kids, to watch them grow into young men,” Brandon White said. “I’m watching these two truly live their dream.”

2024 High School Classic Keystone Lake 3/23-3/23
Keystone Lake, Sand Springs OK.

(BOATER) Standings Day 1 Angler Club/School Pts 1. Carsen Adcock – Jase White Bossier Parish High School – LA 0
Day 1: 5 19-12 Total: 5 19-12
2. Trey Blackmon III – Carson Falk Capital City Bass Hunters 0
Day 1: 5 16-15 Total: 5 16-15
3. Braden Crumley – Logan Withrow Chilhowee Bassmasters – TN 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Total: 5 15-02
4. Connor Beach – Liberty County Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
5. Dylan Sorrells – Cullum Brown Highland Park High School – TX 0
Day 1: 4 09-06 Total: 4 09-06
6. Nick Keith Jr. – Jagger Wells Munford High School Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
7. Kale Temple – Luke Schnell Hart County High School Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
8. Kagen Hill – Trevor Wilburn Century High School – IL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 4 27 81-01
———————————-
4 27 81-01

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