METROPOLIS’ KELLER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON OHIO RIVER AT GOLCONDA

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July 30, 2019

METROPOLIS’ KELLER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON OHIO RIVER AT GOLCONDA

Walnut Hill’s Arning Takes Co-Angler Title

GOLCONDA, Ill. (July 29, 2019) – Boater Mike Keller of Metropolis, Illinois, took top honors at the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Illini Division tournament on the Ohio River at Golconda Saturday after catching five bass weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces. For his efforts, Keller pocketed $3,083.

“I fished all the way up the Tennessee River. I worked rock piles along a 30-yard stretch, and the fish were in about 7 feet of water,” said Keller, who notched his second win on the Ohio River in BFL competition. “My Bass Cat helped me beat everyone to my first spot and I ended up staying there all day.”

Keller said he used a ½-ounce, War Eagle spinnerbait and a Neko-rigged 5-inch, green-pumpkin Yamamoto Senko to catch his fish. He said he caught around eight keepers on the day, and weighed all largemouth.

“I worked the spinnerbait slow. The bite got better around 9 a.m. when the sun came up,” said Keller. “I caught my biggest fish – a 4-pounder – on a Neko rig at about 9:30 (a.m.).

“My MotorGuide X5 trolling motor kept me locked on my spot which ended up being huge for me,” Keller went on to say. “I didn’t have to worry about drifting off or losing my spot when I retied. I had a lot of boats around me, but I could relax and just fish when it was on.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Mike Keller, Metropolis, Ill., five bass, 16-14, $3,083

2^nd: Nathan Murphy, Harrisburg, Ill., five bass, 13-5, $1,442

3^rd: Jeremy Mull, Pawnee, Ill., five bass, 12-2, $1,310

4^th: Brennon McCord, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 11-15, $673

5^th: Riley Walk, Neoga, Ill., five bass, 11-9, $577

6^th: Toby Corn, Calvert City, Ky., five bass, 10-7, $679

7^th: Hilton Jones, Westfield, Ill., five bass, 9-12, $481

8^th: Robert Neff, Roodhouse, Ill., five bass, 9-11, $408

8^th: Matt Weber, Glen Carbon, Ill., four bass, 9-11, $408

10^th: Mike Barnes, Mackinaw, Ill., five bass, 9-6, $636

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Terry Marucco of Sullivan, Illinois, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds even – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $320.

Aaron Arning of Walnut Hill, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division and $1,642 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 11 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., four bass, 11-5, $1,642

2^nd: Lewis Mallory, Martinsville, Ind., five bass, 10-15, $721

3^rd: Nathan Day, Jewett, Ill., four bass, 8-13, $409

3^rd: Dale Renth, Mascoutah, Ill., five bass, 8-13, $459

5^th: Jacob Greco, Edwardsville, Ill., three bass, 6-14, $288

6^th: Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., three bass, 6-12, $264

7^th: Jason Piper, Collinsville, Ill., four bass, 6-9, $240

8^th: Dave Dobill, Royalton, Ill., three bass, 5-13, $216

9^th: Ryan Fancher, Olney, Ill., four bass, 5-4, $192

10^th: Ryan Cain, Decatur, Ill., one bass, 5-3, $328

Cain caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $160.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 24-26 BFL Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL 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 BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

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

Kenny Henderson / David Hooker Jr Win Potomac River Battle Series July 28th Double Down Results

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July 29, 2019

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Kenny Henderson / David Hooker Jr Win Potomac River Battle Series July 28th Double Down Results

Potomac River Battle Series July 28th Double Down Top 5 in the money!

1. Kenny Henderson / David Hooker Jr 16.26lbs $2280.00

2. Alec James / Kevin Parsons 14.51lbs $1440.00

3. PJ Mosley / Fakhruddin Rahimi 14.17lbs $920.00

4. Bart Wines 13.88lbs $560.00

5. Vinson Morris / Chris McManus 13.52lbs $240.00

Big Fish Alex Pirowski / Andrew Redding 4.50lbs $680.00

Big Snakehead Carl Wiegand / Doug Harsh 6.45lbs $130.00

Congratulations to the Teams that cashed a check on a tough day! Thank you all for joining us today as well as all season, we really appreciate it! Full event results and YTD standings will be posted up by the end of the week!

VIRGINIA’S CROWDER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON POTOMAC RIVER PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

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July 29, 2019

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VIRGINIA’S CROWDER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON POTOMAC RIVER PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

Noraas Earns Co-Angler Title

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MARBURY, Md. (July 29, 2019) – Boater Kermit Crowder of Matoaca, Virginia, won Saturday’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division tournament on the Potomac River presented by Navionics after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces. For his day on the water, Crowder earned $4,454.

“I fished a mile or so of a main-river grass line. It was mid-river, about 15 minutes from the boat ramp and was the only place I went,” said Crowder, who earned his fifth career win on the Potomac River in BFL competition – second as a boater. “I just went back and forth all day. Most of the fish were on the edge, dropped off in 4 to 6 feet of water, and I was sitting 6 to 7 of water. It doesn’t fall off really steep – it’s more of a flat. The hydrilla is so thick that when the tide gets low it moves the fish to the edge.

“I had about seven keeper bites. There were 17 or 18 boats on the stretch, but I got the right bites,” continued Crowder. “I caught them on a variety of baits – one on a topwater, one of the big ones on a jig and flipping a couple of different creature baits.”

Crowder’s key baits included a black-colored Spro 65 Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog, a 3/8-ounce, green pumpkin Sooper Bait jig with a 3-inch Mud Puppy craw, and a Texas-rigged, green-pumpkin Mud Puppy creature bait.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., five bass, 13-12, $2,454 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Barton Wines, Marshall, Va., five bass, 13-7, $1,227

3^rd: Thomas Svec, Chesapeake, Va., five bass, 12-15, $750

4^th: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., five bass, 12-14, $1,076

5^th: Joe Dixon, Bel Alton, Md., five bass, 12-10, $451

6^th: Travis Lugar, McGaheysville, Va., five bass, 12-3, $413

7^th: Brandon Stapleton, Temperanceville, Va., five bass, 12-2, $357

7^th: Ryan Ingalls, Fairfax, Va., five bass, 12-2, $357

9^th: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., five bass, 11-13

10^th: Josh Willard, Carrollton, Va., five bass, 11-12

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

John Bitter of Maitland, Florida, caught a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $215.

Matthew Noraas of Pamplin, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $1,227 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Matthew Noraas, Pamplin, Va., five bass, 11-3, $1,227

2^nd: J.C. Miller, Washington, Pa., five bass, 9-8, $613

3^rd: Shawn Huwar, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 9-6, $319

3^rd: Jeff Mellott, Warfordsburg, Pa., five bass, 9-6, $319

5^th: Jamie Newton, Falls Church, Va., five bass, 9-2, $225

6^th: Brad Melton, Manassas, Va., five bass, 8-12, $207

7^th: Chris Jackson, Front Royal, Va., five bass, 8-10, $188

8^th: Costas Melendez, Shenandoah, Va., four bass, 8-8, $169

9^th: Keith Allen, Sumerduck, Va., five bass, 8-4

10^th: Jerry Comperatore, Tarentum, Pa., five bass, 8-1

John Castro of Lorton, Virginia, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $107.

The tournament was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina, presented by Navionics. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL 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 BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

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

MAPLEWOOD’S GALLAGHER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON INDIAN LAKE

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July 29, 2019

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MAPLEWOOD’S GALLAGHER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON INDIAN LAKE

Co-Angler Title Goes to Russells Point’s Scales

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LAKEVIEW, Ohio (July 29, 2019) – Boater Darrell Gallagher of Maplewood, Ohio, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Buckeye Division tournament on Indian Lake Saturday after catching five bass weighing 10 pounds, 14 ounces. Gallagher earned $3,553 his win.

“I started the morning fishing open pads on the main lake, at the mouth of the game reserve,” said Gallagher, who earned his first win in FLW competition. “There was also grass in the area with a little bit of a sandy bottom. It was a small area – maybe a 10-yard stretch on both sides of the pocket – where the pads and the grass met.”

Gallagher said he lost a good fish in the area in the morning, but also caught three using a 3/16-ounce, green-pumpkin-colored jig with a Watermelon-colored Zoom Super Chunk Jr.

“Later in the day I went into the game reserve to a big area called Long Island. I punched matted grass and pads with a tube,” said Gallagher. “I focused on the thickest part of the pad clumps and caught four fish. I probably hit 25 spots.

Gallagher said he punched the grass mats with a 4-inch, Pumpkin Seed-colored Right Bite Baits tube with a dyed chartreuse tip on a ¾-ounce weight. He used 50-pound-test PowerPro braided line and 7-foot, 6-inch Daiwa Tatula Flipping Rods.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Darrell Gallagher, Maplewood, Ohio, five bass, 10-14, $3,553

2^nd: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 10-1, $1,977

3^rd: Sean Wieda, Florence, Ky., five bass, 10-0, $1,285

4^th: Ronald Nutter, Newark, Ohio, five bass, 9-6, $829

5^th: Dan Fry, Marysville, Ohio, five bass, 8-15, $931

5^th: Clint Bissonett, Beavercreek, Ohio, five bass, 8-15, $681

7^th: Nitro pro Kyle Weisenburger, Columbus Grove, Ohio, five bass, 8-14, $592

8^th: Michael McCoy, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio, five bass, 8-7, $533

9^th: B.J. Baxter, Willshire, Ohio, five bass, 8-0, $624

10^th: Hunter Fillmore, Waynesville, Ohio, five bass, 7-11, $415

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio, caught a 3-pound, 13-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $455.

Jordan Scales of Russells Point, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and $1,773 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Jordan Scales, Russells Point, Ohio, five bass, 5-13, $1,773

2^nd: Melvin McNeal, Circleville, Ohio, five bass, 5-11, $886

3^rd: Greg Marshall, Paris, Ky., five bass, 5-7, $602

3^rd: Casey Neff, Miamisburg, Ohio, four bass, 5-7, $502

5^th: Jacob Crawmer, Newark, Ohio, five bass, 5-6, $355

6^th: Chris McCusker, Beaver Falls, Pa., three bass, 5-3, $375

7^th: Carter Mox, Minster, Ohio, three bass, 4-15, $295

8^th: Jonathon Willis, Ironton, Ohio, three bass, 4-5, $266

9^th: Daniel Shuga, Botkins, Ohio, two bass, 4-2, $236

10^th: Ryan McCusker, Beaver Falls, Pa., two bass, 4-1, $207

Zach Smith of Flatwoods, Kentucky, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 3 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $222.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL 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 BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

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

HOT SPRINGS READIES FOR FLW’S RETURN – PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FLW CUP SET FOR RETURN TO LAKE HAMILTON

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July 29, 2019

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HOT SPRINGS READIES FOR FLW’S RETURN – PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FLW CUP SET FOR RETURN TO LAKE HAMILTON

World’s Best Anglers Eye $300,000 Title in Historic 24^th-Annual Championship, FLW/KBF Kayak Cup to Compete on Lake Ouachita

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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (July 29, 2019) – The FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing, returns to Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton, Aug. 9-11, to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2019. Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, the tournament will feature 52 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.

Although Hot Springs and Lake Ouachita have played host four times previously, the FLW Cup has been held just once at Lake Hamilton in the 24-year history of the FLW Tour – 2005. In that event Hot Spring’s local legend, pro angler George Cochran, won the event literally in his own backyard, catching key fish on a buzzbait about 300 yards from his house. He attacked the shallows of Lake Hamilton with a trip of topwater baits to earn a decisive final-day victory and the illustrious title.

Even though Lake Hamilton is only 7,200 surface acres, it fishes big enough for 52 pros thanks to miles of shoreline and more docks and brush piles than a bass angler could fish in a season. Expect several anglers to average 10 to 12 pounds a day and to be in the hunt for the win on Championship Sunday.

One pro in particular, Polaris pro David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, has had an incredible season – winning his fourth Angler of the Year (AOY) title – and is primed to take his shot at bass fishing’s top prize.

“The most exciting thing for me is to get the chance to fish for $300,000,” Dudley said. “It gets my blood flowing. I also want to become the first man to ever win two FLW Cups.”

Dudley seems to shine when he fishes in tournaments with very large purses. Key wins in Dudley’s career include the 2003 FLW Cup on the James River, where he won $500,000, and the 2002 Ranger M1 Millennium on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta that brought a $700,000 payday.

Dudley cemented his fourth FLW Tour AOY title at the Lake Champlain event earlier this year. With the title, Dudley became the first pro to win four AOY crowns. The AOY title pushed FLW’s leading money winner past the $3.6 million mark. He was the youngest angler to the $2 million mark. He has accumulated seven FLW wins, 44 top-10 finishes and has qualified for 21 FLW Cup appearances in his 24 years as a pro.

Dudley said anglers will find Lake Hamilton displaying typical summertime patterns.

“Summertime fishing is always tough, but they’ll be biting,” Dudley said. “Hamilton is a small lake, but it has miles and miles of shoreline so I think it’ll fish pretty big. It’s going to be a grind, but I’d expect nothing less in August.”

Another angler ready for his shot at Lake Hamilton is Tennessee’s Brad Knight, who won the 2015 FLW Cup on Lake Ouachita. Knight said he thinks the winning angler will need to boat 13 pounds a day to earn the title, and he expects anglers will be able to fish their strengths.

“Some people call it ‘junk-fishing’, but I call it hustle,” said Knight. ”We’re going to have to mix it up and it will be all about putting in the hustle. You have just as good of a shot of winning with a buzzbait as you do drop-shotting brush piles. We’re going to be able to catch fish however we feel most comfortable, but every decision and every fish catch will be critical.”

Anglers will take off from the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs, at 6:30 a.m. CDT each morning. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Bank OZK Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, beginning at 5 p.m.

Also in Hot Springs next week, the Dee Zee FLW/KBF Cup presented by YakAttack will be held on Lake Ouachita. The tournament will feature top kayak bass anglers from around the country competing for a for a total prize package of $18,000, with winners being recognized on the FLW stage.

Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, each day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes activities, giveaways and games provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, as well as the opportunity to shop the latest and greatest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors – including multiple kayak-fishing companies in the Expo’s new Kayak Village. A Ranger boat simulator, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston, and many more also awaits fishing fans.

On Saturday and Sunday the first 250 children each day 14 and under who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod-and-reel combo after the evening’s weigh-in from Shakespeare rods. On Saturday, one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Jackson Kayak Coosa FD following the weigh-in, and on Sunday a new Ranger Z521L bass boat with a 250-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor bill be awarded. The Kayak and Ranger Boat giveaways are free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of each day’s final weigh-in to win.

FLW fans will also enjoy the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. FLW has partnered with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette to feature award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors and raising money for local charities. Come enjoy all of the fishing action and barbeque from top barbeque teams on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and help raise money for some worthy causes.

Country music superstar Trace Adkins will perform a free concert on the weigh-in stage at the Bank OZK Arena on Sunday, Aug. 11, starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. The concert is presented by Realtree and KSSN 96. Adkins will be showcasing his fiery and memorable live performance to fishing fans in Arkansas as well as live-streamed to fans around the globe at FLWFishing.com.

The Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.

Television coverage of the 2019 FLW Cup at Lake Hamilton will premiere in the fall of 2019. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs each Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST and is broadcast to more than 63 million cable, satellite and telecommunications households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean on the World Fishing Network (WFN), the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

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

Moore & Moore Win Castaway Anglers Smith Mt. Club Night Tournament – July 20-21, 2019

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July 29, 2019

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Moore & Moore Win Castaway Anglers Smith Mt. Club Night Tournament – July 20-21, 2019

Congrats to Moore/Moore for coming in 1st place with 15.25 lbs and had big fish with 5.50 lbs; Witt/Goff finished 2nd with 13.20 lbs and Perez/Funk finished 3rd with 13.05 lbs. Thanks to everybody for making it another great tournament. Our next tournament is an OPEN tournament on August 24, 2019, at Leesville Lake out of Leesville Lake Marina from 6AM to 3PM. Hope to see everybody there.

Jimmy

Smith Mt Lake Night Results

Moore/Moore – 15.25 lbs Big Fish – 5.50 lbs

Witt/Goff – 13.20 lbs

Funk/Perez – 13.05 lbs

Taylor/Connelly – 11.45 lbs

Coffer/Coffer – 10.25 lbs

Tyree/Taylor – 9.95 lbs

Slagle/Gore – 9.00 lbs

Orange/Walker – 8.95 lbs

Costa/Dalton – 8.40 lbs

Millner/Millner – 8.20 lbs

Weeks/Arrington – 7.85 lbs

Wood/Harris – 6.25 lbs

Davis/Martin – 3.50 lbs

Ragland – 3.40 lbs

Johnson/Chapman – 2.85 lbs

Castaway Anglers LLC 2019

Team Leesville Anna Claytor Buggs Philpott Smith Mt. Smith Mt. Total

Wood/Harris 100 60 80 80 70 45 435

Coffer/Coffer 45 45 70 85 100 80 425

Tyree/Taylor 70 80 65 55 65 75 410

Johnson/Chapman 35 35 95 75 50 35 325

Taylor/Connelly 50 40 45 60 45 85 325

Davis/Martin 55 0 85 95 40 40 315

Millner 25 100 60 35 40 55 315

Orange/Walker 60 30 55 30 60 65 300

Funk/Perez 85 0 75 45 90 295

Thomas/Slayton 40 75 40 50 80 285

Dalton/Owens 100 65 85 250

Atkins/Atkins 85 75 — 80 240

Slagle/Gore 25 55 50 40 70 240

Costa/Dalton 75 90 60 225

Goolsby/Moon 30 50 35 70 185

Lankford 65 65 — 25 155

McCoy/Weeks 0 90 50 140

Witt/Goff 25 100 125

Crist 100 100

Kluender 90 — — 90

Langford/Davis 0 90 0 90

Jordan 25 55 80

Wright/Wright 0 0

The Mighty James River Bass Open A Long Awaited Victory by Bruce Callis

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July 28, 2019

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The Mighty James River Bass Open
A Long-Awaited Victory – By Bruce Callis

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The mighty James River was the setting for the drama of the 2019 Basspro.com Eastern Open over July 25-27, as anglers from across the United States and 4 countries set out to tame the bass that live there. In the end, only one boater and one co-angler would lay claim to the title of champion. For others, dreams were crushed as the river proved that it may hold huge bass, but they aren’t as easy to catch as most hoped.

Day one saw Bryan Schmitt take the lead on the Pro Angler side with an impressive bag of 5 bass weighing 20 pounds and 4 ounces. Tim Ward held down 2nd with a 5 fish bag of 17 pounds 15 ounces. Mike Iaconelli came in 6th with a 5 bass 15 pound 2 ounce bag limit. John Cox stood in 20th place and Chad Pipkens held down 30th with 12 pounds 4 ounces.
Scott Stephenson III took the lead on the Co-Angler side with a 3 bag limit of 12 pounds. Jonathan Ceaser held down 2nd with 10 pounds 14 ounces, Chris Whittaker was 3rd with 9 pounds 11 ounces, John Wiese was 4th with 9 pounds 7 ounces, and Chaz Carrington rounded out the top 5 with 9 pounds 2 ounces.

Day 2 was cut day and that only the top 12 would be moving on to fish the final day. Mike Iaconnelli was in the final flight and did not disappoint as he took the lead with a steady bag limit of 15 pounds 2 ounces, giving him a total of 30 pounds and 4 ounces, just 6 over second place angler Kotaro Kiriyama who came in with a 14 pound 14 ounce limit for 29 pounds 14 ounces. Tommy Little came in 3rd with an impressive 17 pound 8 ounce limit for 29 pounds 11 ounces, one ounce ahead of Bryan Schmitt who had a total of 29 pounds 10 ounces. The best moment was when Mike’s children got on stage with him. When asked if they would like to say anything, his daughter pulled on the heart strings as she said, “I love my dad!” One more wrap around her little finger.

John Wiese took the lead on the Co-Angler side with 3 bag limit of 8 pounds 11 ounces. Scott Stephenson III fell to 2nd with a 5 pound 2 ounce bag. Barry Brandt Jr. Came in 3rd with a 7 pound 1 ounce bag.

Championship Saturday and the weigh-in moved from Osbourne Landing to Bass Pro Shop in Ashland, Virginia and it proved to be truly exciting. As the anglers arrived in front of the store in their boats and make their way up to the stage. The Pro Anglers arrived starting with the 12th place angler arriving 1st. The Co-Anglers were not paired up with the Pro Anglers according to their finish, but rather, by draw. Whitney Stephens was the second Pro Angler to take the stage and took the lead with a limit of 15 pounds 5 ounces and a total of 41 pounds 15 ounces. He moved into the hot seat and endured the wait, watching angler after angler attempt to knock him off the easy seat. Finally, Ike made his way to the stage, the last man with a chance to be crowned champion. As the fish were placed on the scales, Whitney stood side-by-side with Ike. You could feel the tension as everyone waited. A drop in his total, but Mike had 13 pounds 12 ounces, giving him a 44 pound total and a 2 pounds 1 ounce victory. No big yell that he is famous for but rather a subdued fist pump of victory.

For the Co-Anglers, John Wiese took the lead with a 12 pound 3 ounce 3 fish bag limit and then endured as he sat on the hot seat. When the final angler made his way to the stage and up the steps, John could see the bag and knew that it was short, as the emotions started to overtake him, knowing that he would be crowned the champion.Rounding out the top 12 of Co-Anglers were: Kibbee Mccoy, David Deciucis, Charles Purcell, Colton Sowers, Scott Stephenson III, Ronnie Shephard, Barry Brandt Jr., Jonathan Ceaser, Lynn Hoeffer, Keith Honeycutt, and Jeffrey May.

For Mike Iaconelli, it was a special win. The James River and Richmond holds a special place in his heart. His wife Becky moved to the Richmond area when she was just 12 and her parents still live here. Victory in front of the family is always special. But his victory celebration was to be short lived as he had to hit the road for a MLF Cup event.
He fished all upriver from Osbourne Landing, doing what he called a “trout stream pattern,” which meant that he pushed his boat as far back in the creeks as far as he could go. It is the same pattern he uses back home on the Delaware River. He used a 1/2 ounce black/blue Missile Baits Mini Flip jig with a black Berkley Power Bait chunk trailer, a 1/2 ounce Molix Lover vibrating jig with a Berkley Power Bait Chigger Craw trailer, and a Rapala DT-6 in a color called Old School. Sadly, the DT-6 that he had used on day 3 got hung up and snapped off. He retied on a second one and proceeded to continue, only to look down a few minutes later to see that the magic lure, thought long gone, had floated to the surface. He reached down and pulled it back into the boat, and fished on. But he has plans for the lost but found lure, it will have a new home, hanging from the trophy that holds special meaning.

Clarence Emerson & Kenny Reynolds Win Ricky Young Benefit July 27,2019 Kerr Lake

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July 28, 2019

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Clarence Emerson & Kenny Reynolds Win Ricky Young Benefit July 27,2019 Kerr Lake

On a beautiful Saturday 37 teams come together for an awesome cause. To help raise money for one of their own battling cancer Mr. Ricky Young. It was a rough day out on the water but a great time was had by everyone & $2,740 was raised. Thank you for everyone that come out & congratulations to Clarence Emerson & Kenny Reynolds on their winning 13.96 lb bag. If you would still like to donate please message us or email us ([email protected]).

Iaconelli Rides Early Bites To Victory At Bassmaster Eastern Open On James River

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July 28, 2019

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Iaconelli Rides Early Bites To Victory At Bassmaster Eastern Open On James River

New Jersey pro Michael Iaconelli won the Basspro.com Bassmaster Open held out of Richmond, Va., on the James River with a three-day weight of 44 pounds.

Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

July 27, 2019

Iaconelli Rides Early Bites To Victory At Bassmaster Eastern Open On James River

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RICHMOND, Va. — Mike Iaconelli knew his fate depended on low water, so the Pitts Grove, N.J., pro made a key decision during Saturday’s final round of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on the James River.

After placing sixth in Thursday’s opening round with 15 pounds, 2 ounces, Iaconelli repeated that weight Friday and took the lead with 30-4. Then Saturday, for the third day in a row — while much of the field ran far downriver to the James River tributary, the Chickahominy River — Iaconelli stayed closer to the main river take-off site so he could take advantage of the morning tide schedule.

That decision led to a five-bass limit that weighed 13-12 and pushed him to victory with a three-day weight of 44 pounds.

The tournament started with a small window of morning low water, with another window on the afternoon change. But with tides advancing an hour each day, the final round saw tournament hours overlapping only the morning low.

“The low water was the key,” said Iaconelli, who earned $39,000 for his first B.A.S.S. victory since 2014. “I didn’t mind if it was incoming or outgoing, but lower water stages were the key.”

Iaconelli fished what he called a “trout stream pattern,” which basically meant he pushed as far back as most anglers will push — and then kept pushing. Depths were sketchy, but referencing similar scenarios he fishes on his Delaware River home waters, Iaconelli knew he would find two important benefits: The creek’s lowest water and largely unmolested fish.

Rotating among six creeks, Iaconelli focused on areas with hard cover adjacent to pads. He caught some of his fish on a 1/2-ounce black/blue Missile Baits Mini Flip jig with a black Berkley Power Bait chunk trailer (flippin blue color) and a 1/2-ounce Molix Lover vibrating jig with a Berkley Power Bait Chigger Craw trailer.

“Today, the fishing got tough and the fish got on the ends of the cover even more,” he said. “I caught almost everything I weighed today on a Rapala DT-6 in a color called Old School.”

Noting that his decision to stay close and chase the optimal tide stage was a calculation based on several years of tidal water fishing, Iaconelli said he caught all of his weight by 11 a.m. That left a lot of time without culling and he left the water unsure if he had done enough.

“On this river, you usually have to be consistent, which means 15 to 17 pounds a day,” he said. “The entire time, until five minutes before the weigh-ins, I had no idea I might win this. I didn’t have that kicker today.

“This win means as much to me as my first club tournament win, because I’ve come close so many times. This is the sixth B.A.S.S. event on the James River, and I believe this is my fourth Top 12. I always had one bad day to keep me from winning. Today, it was enough to win.”

Whitney Stephens of Waverly, Ohio, finished second with 41-15. Making a big improvement from 11th place, Stephens said the second half of his day delivered all of his weight fish.

“Every day this week, I could have slept in the first four hours,” he said. “At 12:24, I had no fish. At 1:03, I had the bag I weighed.”

Stephens fished the Chickahominy and caught his fish on a drop-shot rig with a 6-inch Reaction Innovations Trixter worm in the Muscatine color and a Neko-rigged Zoom Trick. Worm in green pumpkin magic.

“I would throw the Neko rig when I was fishing the current more; I’d throw directly into the current and just let the bait drift along,” he said. “The dropshot was more target-oriented for underwater objects that you couldn’t see with the naked eye.

Day 1 leader Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., finished third with 40-6. He spent his week in the Chickahominy and caught his fish on a 3/8-ounce swim jig with a Missile Baits Twin Turbo trailer and a wacky-rigged Missile Baits 48 worm.

“The swim jig seemed to get a big bite, but you had to get a limit and the wacky rig did it,” Schmitt said.

Timothy Lucy of Prince George, Va., won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-11 largemouth.

Jon Wiese of Charlotte, N.C., held on to his Day 2 lead and won the co-angler division with 30-5. After catching limits of 9-7 and 8-11 the first two days, Wiese closed the door with 12-3 Saturday — his biggest catch of the week.

Wiese caught most of his fish by swimming a Texas-rigged black/blue flake Zoom Finesse worm and flipping a Missile Baits Baby D-Bomb (purple/red). Varying his presentations from what his pro was doing proved an effective strategy.

Wiese dedicated his win to his mother, Mary Dell, who passed away five years ago. Her constant encouragement, Wiese said, kept him on track for the dream he realized today.

“My mother would always call me and say ‘Are you fishing?’” he emotionally recalled. “Yeah, mom — I’m fishing!”

Scott Stephenson III won he Phoenix Boats Big Bass award in the co-angler division with a largemouth that weighed 7-8.

The event was hosted by Richmond Region Tourism and Visit Henrico County.

2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open James River 7/25-7/29

James River, Richmond VA.

(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 44-00 200 $39,000.00

Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 13-12

2. Whitney Stephens Waverly, OH 15 41-15 199 $19,500.00

Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day 3: 5 15-05

3. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 40-06 198 $13,000.00

Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 09-06 Day 3: 5 10-12

4. Tommy Little Chester, VA 15 39-09 197 $11,700.00

Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 5 09-14

5. Richard Owen Chester, VA 15 38-10 196 $10,400.00

Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-05 Day 3: 5 09-08

6. Kotaro Kiriyama Guntersville, AL 15 36-10 195 $9,100.00

Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 06-12

7. Jefferson Hamilton Henrico, VA 15 35-10 194 $8,450.00

Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 5 07-07

8. Craig Chambers Harrisburg, NC 15 34-07 193 $7,800.00

Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 07-06

9. Chad Pipkens Lansing, MI 13 34-03 192 $6,500.00

Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 15-14 Day 3: 3 06-01

10. Cameron Smith Wareham, MA 13 33-12 191 $5,200.00

Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 11-04 Day 3: 3 07-05

11. Gregg Fogner Conway, SC 14 33-11 190 $4,550.00

Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 4 06-14

12. Tim Ward Sylacauga, AL 13 33-00 189 $3,900.00

Day 1: 5 17-15 Day 2: 5 10-07 Day 3: 3 04-10

———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS

Timothy Lucy Prince George, VA 06-11 $750.00

———————————————————————–

Totals

Day #Limits #Fish Weight

1 104 692 1470-04

2 110 685 1432-09

3 8 53 105-10

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222 1430 3008-07

2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open James River 7/25-7/29

James River, Richmond VA.

(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. John Wiese Charlotte, NC 9 30-05 200 $19,500.00

Day 1: 3 09-07 Day 2: 3 08-11 Day 3: 3 12-03

2. Kibbee Mccoy Knoxville, TN 9 24-01 199 $4,550.00

Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 3 07-09 Day 3: 3 08-03

3. David Deciucis CHESTER, VA 9 22-10 198 $3,900.00

Day 1: 3 04-12 Day 2: 3 10-08 Day 3: 3 07-06

4. Charles Purcell Townsville, NC 8 21-01 197 $2,600.00

Day 1: 2 07-09 Day 2: 3 08-01 Day 3: 3 05-07

5. Colton Sowers Venetia, PA 9 20-15 196 $2,470.00

Day 1: 3 08-08 Day 2: 3 07-04 Day 3: 3 05-03

6. Scott Stephenson III South Prince George, VA 8 20-12 195 $2,590.00

Day 1: 3 12-00 Day 2: 3 05-02 Day 3: 2 03-10

7. Ronnie Shephard Oak Hill, OH 8 19-07 194 $2,210.00

Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 07-14 Day 3: 2 04-15

8. Barry Brandt Jr. Newport News, VA 8 18-08 193 $2,080.00

Day 1: 3 08-15 Day 2: 3 07-01 Day 3: 2 02-08

9. Jonathan Ceaser Maidens, VA 7 18-04 192 $1,950.00

Day 1: 3 10-14 Day 2: 2 03-10 Day 3: 2 03-12

10. Lynn Hoeffer Newport News, VA 7 18-04 191 $1,820.00

Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 3 09-00 Day 3: 1 02-07

11. Keith Honeycutt Temple, TX 7 17-06 190 $1,690.00

Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 3 05-01 Day 3: 1 03-08

12. Jeffrey May Lutz, FL 8 16-08 189 $1,560.00

Day 1: 3 09-00 Day 2: 3 05-06 Day 3: 2 02-02

———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS

Scott Stephenson III South Prince George, VA07-08 $250.00

———————————————————————–

Totals

Day #Limits #Fish Weight

1 77 349 697-12

2 75 328 614-04

3 5 27 61-04

———————————-

157 704 1373-04

To Hook Set, Or Not To Hook Set, That Is The Question

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July 27, 2019

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To Hook Set, Or Not To Hook Set, That Is The Question

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Knowing when and how to set the hook is a key to landing or losing a bass. The lures you use will determine whether you set the hook immediately or wait a couple of seconds after getting a bite. Lures also dictate whether you employ the overhead jerk hook set to cross the eyes of a bass or firmly sweep your rod to impale the hook.

Here is when and how to set the hook on some of the most popular bass lures.

Topwater

Always remember to briefly pause before setting the hook on a hollow body frog bite. Giving the fish time to fully commit to your bait and yourself time to and prepare for a stout hookset will help.

Whenever a bass inhales my topwater I wait until I feel the weight of the fish on my line before setting the hook. My rod is usually pointed towards the water when working a topwater so I set the hook by steadily sweeping my rod backwards.

Cranks and Spinnerbaits

Your Definitive Guide To Choosing Crankbait Colors

Bites on these lures feel like either a hard jerk on the line or your lure just stops vibrating. In either situation, I just keep reeling with the rod pointed downward until I feel the fish move and then I use a sweeping hook set.

Swimbaits

Bass tend to nip at swimbaits so I wait until I feel the fish load up on my line before setting the hook. Then I jerk my rod with a quick snap of my wrists to bury the hook.

Jigs

This is the one lure I set the hook immediately after detecting a strike because when you feel a tap that usually signals a bass has inhaled the lure and is in the process of spitting it out. I am using heavy line for jig fishing so the overhead jerk hook set works best.

Soft Plastics

Timing a hook set for these lures can be tricky because sometimes bass will suck in the lure and spit it out immediately and other times the fish will inhale it and swim off with the bait for a while. Try setting the hook immediately when you feel a tap and if you keep missing fish, then wait a couple of seconds before employing the overhead jerk hook set.

Finesse Plastics

Bass have a tendency to swallow these smaller baits so you should set the hook immediately when you detect a strike. Light line is required for these lures so I employ a gentle sweep hook set to prevent from breaking my line.

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To Hook Set, Or Not To Hook Set, That Is The Question

To Hook Set, Or Not To Hook Set, That Is The Question

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Cranks and Spinnerbaits

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Soft Plastics

Finesse Plastics

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