2024 class of High School All-Americans honored on Bassmaster Classic stage

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March 22, 2025

2024 class of High School All-Americans honored on Bassmaster Classic stage

The 2024 class of High School All-Americans were honored on stage at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

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

March 21, 2025

2024 class of High School All-Americans honored on Bassmaster Classic stage

FORT WORTH, Texas — The 2024 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team were treated to a trip to Dickies Arena to be recognized on the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour stage ahead of the Day 1 weigh-in. This is the first time in the program’s history the All-American class has been honored on the Classic stage.

For the past decade, the Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team has recognized and celebrated the top high school anglers across the country. These student-athletes demonstrate outstanding performance on the water, dedication to conservation efforts and commitment to their communities. The 2024 class of 12 talented anglers continued this tradition of excellence and were recognized for this incredible achievement.

Since its inception, the Bassmaster High School All-American program has launched the careers of numerous anglers who have competed at the highest levels, including the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN, Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and even the prestigious Bassmaster Classic. These young anglers are the future of the sport, inspiring upcoming generations through their skill and dedication.

This year, nearly 300 applications were submitted from 31 states. From this talented pool, 45 students were named Bassmaster All-State Anglers, with the final 12 honorees selected based on their tournament success, conservation initiatives and community service efforts. This year, each All-American was awarded a B.A.S.S. Life Membership.

Meet the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-American Team

Carsen Adcock – Haughton, La.

A junior at Haughton High School, Adcock has four wins, including the 2023 Bassmaster High School Series event on the Red River and the North Louisiana B.A.S.S. Nation event on Toledo Bend. His commitment to community service includes involvement in local churches and lake cleanup initiatives. Academically, he maintains a 3.81 GPA while excelling in multiple extracurricular activities.

Elijah Coleman – Mount Sterling, Ky.

Coleman, a senior at Montgomery County High School, secured three wins, including the 2024 High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship. He has a passion for conservation, assisting Kentucky Fish and Wildlife in habitat restoration, and maintains a 4.0 GPA while balancing an advanced course load.

Max Flatten – Watertown, S.D.

Flatten, a senior at Watertown High School, boasts three wins, including the South Dakota TBF High School State Championship (back-to-back years). He is actively involved in community outreach programs, including Sportsmen Against Hunger and local bass fishing clubs, all while maintaining a 3.35 GPA.

Rylan Hamlin – Jackson, Mich.

Hamlin’s dominance includes 24 wins, highlighted by the 2024 Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship. His passion for mentorship and conservation extends beyond competition, and he balances his dedication to fishing with a 3.59 GPA.

Kyle Herrman – Topeka, Kan.

A senior at Jefferson West High School, Herrman has earned four wins and has qualified for the Bassmaster High School National Championship three times. He actively mentors youth anglers and participates in lake improvement projects while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Nicholas Herrman – Topeka, Kan.

The twin brother of Kyle, Nicholas boasts five tournament wins, including the 2024 Kansas TBF High School State Championship. He volunteers in youth fishing programs and maintains a 4.0 GPA, excelling in academics and athletics.

Presley Lannom – Lebanon, Tenn.

Lannom, a junior, secured seven wins, including the 2023 Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation High School event on Douglas Lake. He is a leader in conservation efforts and maintains a 3.62 GPA while running a podcast featuring professional anglers.

Kael Moore – Cedar Falls, Iowa

Moore, a junior at Cedar Falls High School, has seven wins, including the Iowa High School Bass Team Championship. A multi-sport athlete, he founded his school’s bass team and maintains a 4.0 GPA.

Tanner Moulton – Enfield, N.H.

Moulton, a senior, has nine wins, including the 2023 NHIAA State Championship. He is a student-athlete leader involved in multiple sports and community outreach programs, maintaining a 3.7 GPA.

Grace Olsen – Gardner, Ill.

Olsen, a senior, has one win and eight Top 5 finishes, qualifying her to compete in Zimbabwe with the USAngling USA Bass High School Youth Team. She excels in leadership and community service, maintaining a 3.56 GPA.

Dylan Sorrells – Dallas, Texas

Sorrells has six wins, including the THSBA event on Lake Lewisville, and is the THSBA Metro Division Angler of the Year. He dedicates over 300 hours to youth fishing education and maintains a 3.43 GPA.

Joe Vaulton – Knoxville, Tenn.

Vaulton, a senior, has eight wins and two Angler of the Year titles. He is heavily involved in conservation, tournament fundraising, and mentorship programs while maintaining a 4.2 GPA.

Congratulations to the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-American Team.

McKinney overcomes early nerves to take Day 1 Classic lead

Brian Carter

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March 22, 2025

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McKinney overcomes early nerves to take Day 1 Classic lead

Illinois’ Trey McKinney leads Day 1 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour in Fort Worth, Texas, with a weight of 26-9.

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

March 21, 2025

McKinney overcomes early nerves to take Day 1 Classic lead

2025_BMC_BPS-title_UAPresenting_vFinal@4x 1.png

FORT WORTH, Texas — When Trey McKinney hopped onto the stage at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, the infectious beat of “Church Clap” by Christian hip-hop artist KB filled Dickies Arena.

Though conventional wisdom says don’t ever change what’s working, McKinney’s hype song might as well be “The Kids are Alright” by The Who, because things are, indeed, quite alright for the whiz kid from Carbondale, Ill.

McKinney, who celebrated his 20^th birthday only last month, holds the Day 1 lead in the world’s most-celebrated fishing tournament. His limit of five bass totaled 26-9 and gave him a 1-pound cushion over Canada’s Cory Johnston, who’s in second with 25-9.

Rounding out the Top 5 in the 56-angler field are, third, Minnesota’s Easton Fothergill, 24-15; fourth, Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat, 23-7; and fifth, Texas pro Lee Livesay (who many pundits consider the favorite here,) with 23-0. The entire field will fish again Saturday, and the Top 25 anglers will make Sunday’s cut, with the winner pocketing $300,000 cash.

McKinney’s performance in B.A.S.S. events has belied his youth from the start. At 18, he finished second in the Bassmaster Opens EQ standings and became the youngest angler ever to qualify for the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. He took the Elites by storm, too, winning Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 and finishing second in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.

McKinney started his first Classic with a bang, too, when he hooked a 7-pounder just after 9 a.m. He admitted his nerves were getting the best of him before he hooked that big fish.

“I could hardly breathe for a while,” McKinney said. “It was a disaster. I was throwing in trees, throwing in bushes, getting hung up. But you catch a 7-pounder and that makes everything alright. At that point, I knew I just needed to get four more bites. Whether we’re leading it or we’re close, it didn’t matter. What mattered was I didn’t lose it on the first day.”

McKinney’s next two catches (a 5-pounder and a 4-8) gave him 16 1/2 pounds and the tournament lead just after 10 a.m. He rounded out his bag with a pair of 4-12 bass caught just after noon.

McKinney’s sonar electronics malfunctioned about 1 p.m. on Friday after running through some big waves on the lake, which roiled under steady 15-20 mph winds. But with 26 pounds already in the livewell, McKinney knew he’d put himself in position to make a run at the 55^th annual Bassmaster Classic title. He said he’ll continue looking for “fresh ones” — bass that haven’t been fished over in days and perhaps are moving toward shore to spawn.

“It’s the end of March,” he said. “They’re coming at some point, whether it’s to spawn or coming to the trees I’m fishing. Some fish are going to be moving around. I want the ones that haven’t seen a bait every five minutes.”

Johnston, who finished third in the 2024 AOY standings courtesy of two Elite Series wins, was right behind McKinney with a robust 25-9 limit. He said he’s found a pattern rotating into different water depths and searching for specific cover. He pounded more than 20 different spots Friday on Ray Roberts and expects to do more of the same on Day 2.

“Whenever I can find the right cover, I feel like they’ll bite,” Johnston said. “They’re all tight to cover, right on the bottom. I’m not gonna leave any fish out there tomorrow … I didn’t back off today. I went looking for a lot of new water today. I pulled what I could.”

Fothergill is third with 24-15 and like McKinney, is accustomed to the spotlight of early success. He finished 16th at last year’s Classic on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees as a 21-year-old, and he notched a pair of Bassmaster Open victories later in 2024. It was a continuation of Fothergill’s memorable 2023 season when he won the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket while a student at the University of Montevallo (Ala.).

“It definitely helps, being here at the Classic last year,” he said. “There’s much less nerves this year … I have a lot better understanding of what to expect.”

Fothergill caught two of the heaviest bass weighed Friday, including a 6-4 in the morning and a 6-8 just past noon. He said he’s spotting big fish with his electronics, though he’s working hard to excite bites.

“I have a pretty good pattern going, fishing four different areas in various places on the lake” he said. “I tried to practice pretty strategically, knowing the wind was going to blow all week long. I had two places out of the wind today and I only hit one of them. That was my goal, to save one of those spots for tomorrow.”

Tennessee pro John Garrett, who leads the 2025 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race, caught the Mercury Big Bass on Friday — an 8-12 largemouth. He’s in 21st place with 16-13.

Takeoffs are scheduled for 7:30 a.m. CT from Isle du Bois at Lake Ray Roberts State Park in Pilot Point, Texas. Weigh-ins begin at 5 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.

The Fort Worth Sports Commission is hosting the event.

2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour 3/21-3/23
Lake Ray Roberts, Fort Worth TX.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 26-09 0
Day 1: 5 26-09
2. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 5 25-09 0
Day 1: 5 25-09
3. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 24-15 0
Day 1: 5 24-15
4. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 5 23-07 0
Day 1: 5 23-07
5. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 23-00 0
Day 1: 5 23-00
6. John Cox Debary, FL 5 22-00 0
Day 1: 5 22-00
7. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 21-14 0
Day 1: 5 21-14
8. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 21-12 0
Day 1: 5 21-12
9. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 21-08 0
Day 1: 5 21-08
10. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 21-05 0
Day 1: 5 21-05
11. Wes Logan Springville, AL 4 20-09 0
Day 1: 4 20-09
12. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 18-14 0
Day 1: 5 18-14
13. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 5 18-11 0
Day 1: 5 18-11
14. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 18-08 0
Day 1: 5 18-08
15. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 18-06 0
Day 1: 5 18-06
16. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 17-14 0
Day 1: 5 17-14
17. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 17-09 0
Day 1: 5 17-09
18. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 17-06 0
Day 1: 5 17-06
19. Jeremy Knepp Montgomery, IN 5 17-04 0
Day 1: 5 17-04
20. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 17-02 0
Day 1: 5 17-02
21. John Garrett Union City, TN 3 16-13 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 3 16-13
22. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 16-02 0
Day 1: 5 16-02
23. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 5 15-13 0
Day 1: 5 15-13
23. Jeremiah Kindy Benton, AR 5 15-13 0
Day 1: 5 15-13
25. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 4 14-14 0
Day 1: 4 14-14
26. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 5 14-11 0
Day 1: 5 14-11
27. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 4 14-09 0
Day 1: 4 14-09
28. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 4 14-07 0
Day 1: 4 14-07
29. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 4 13-15 0
Day 1: 4 13-15
30. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 4 13-06 0
Day 1: 4 13-06
31. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 12-15 0
Day 1: 5 12-15
32. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 12-13 0
Day 1: 5 12-13
33. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 12-02 0
Day 1: 5 12-02
34. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 4 12-00 0
Day 1: 4 12-00
35. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 4 11-07 0
Day 1: 4 11-07
36. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 3 11-07 0
Day 1: 3 11-07
37. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 3 11-03 0
Day 1: 3 11-03
38. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 4 10-15 0
Day 1: 4 10-15
39. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 4 10-14 0
Day 1: 4 10-14
40. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 10-11 0
Day 1: 5 10-11
41. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 3 09-13 0
Day 1: 3 09-13
42. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 2 08-08 0
Day 1: 2 08-08
43. Ben Milliken Omaha, NE 2 08-02 0
Day 1: 2 08-02
44. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 3 07-10 0
Day 1: 3 07-10
45. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 2 07-08 0
Day 1: 2 07-08
46. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 2 07-01 0
Day 1: 2 07-01
47. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 2 06-12 0
Day 1: 2 06-12
48. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 2 05-06 0
Day 1: 2 05-06
49. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 2 04-07 0
Day 1: 2 04-07
50. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 1 03-12 0
Day 1: 1 03-12
51. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 1 03-07 0
Day 1: 1 03-07
52. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 1 02-13 0
Day 1: 1 02-13
53. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 1 02-11 0
Day 1: 1 02-11
54. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Cody Huff Ava, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–

BIG BASS
Day
1 John Garrett Union City, TN 08-12 $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 27 208 758-14
———————————-
27 208 758-14

Hammond makes all the right adjustments to win Kayak Championship

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

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Hammond makes all the right adjustments to win Kayak Championship

North Carolina’s Wyatt Hammond wins the 2025 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship scored by TourneyX with a total catch of 111.25 inches.

Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.

March 21, 2025

Hammond makes all the right adjustments to win Kayak Championship

YANTIS, Texas — Nothing went as planned for North Carolina’s Wyatt Hammond during the 2025 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship scored by TourneyX. Fortunately, every adjustment he made produced big largemouth bass.

The Fayetteville, N.C., angler landed a 111.25-inch limit to win the coveted trophy, filling his limit with four bass measuring 22 inches or better along with one 21.75-incher during the 11 hour, one-day shootout.

It is Hammonds biggest tournament limit ever.

“This is unreal. Absolutely wild,” he said. “It wasn’t until midday when I started really catching fish and thinking I had a shot. One thing would happen, and I would shake it off and go to the next. Looking back, keeping my head in the game the entire time is what got me here.

“It seemed like every time I set the hook it was a 20-incher.”

Georgia’s Joshua Diehl finished second with 106.75 inches followed by South Carolina’s Bennett Nall, also with 106.75 inches.

Originally scheduled as a two-day tournament, high winds forced the cancellation of the first day of the tournament, forcing a one-day, 11-hour shootout on Thursday. The anglers made the most of their extended day, with 16 anglers reaching the 100-inch mark or better and 39 anglers landing 90 inches or better.

Hammond has fished in Texas only one other time — last fall at Caddo Lake. Nothing from that experience assisted him this week. He instead elected to target the types of hard cover that he finds success with around in his home state. Docks, a pond dam, riprap and rock were all key pieces of cover.

“Luckily, I got away from the trees, which is what I was trying to do. I wanted hard cover. Docks, points, stuff we fish in North Carolina,” Hammond explained.

A 3/8-ounce homemade jig paired with a Berkley MaxScent Creature Hawg caught all of the bass in his final bag. Humminbird Mega LIVE imaging helped Hammond make pinpoint casts to the docks bigger bass were holding on.

“I had a lot of fish following glidebaits and following ChatterBaits,” Hammond said. “I could see them on Mega LIVE following those baits. Everyone on Fork is throwing minnows, glidebaits and jerkbaits, so I wanted to throw something different that they hadn’t seen a lot. They hadn’t eaten it all week until yesterday. I told some people I didn’t think these bass ate anything being dragged across the bottom. But on tournament day, they ate something being dragged on the bottom.”

Throughout the day, Hammond was forced to make several pivots, but each turned into something better than he could have expected.

“Pulling up to a pocket and having someone sitting in there and being like, ‘Okay it’s no problem, I’ll fish over here in the meantime,’ and then catching an 8-pounder is crazy,” he said. “Then a boat drives over your spot, and you move on and find a brand-new school with 30 minutes left before lines-out and catch an 8-pounder; It is awesome.”

After practice, Hammond planned on tossing a ChatterBait in drains, but the first spot he pulled up to had a boat fishing it. He moved to his next spot and landed a 21-incher within his first couple of casts. He then caught two 20-inchers and knew things could play out how he wanted to.

He filled out an impressive limit measuring over 106 inches, and while he caught multiple 18-, 19- and 20-inch bass, he wasn’t able to cull up to his final tally until late in the day when he stumbled on that new school of bass. He landed an 8-pounder during that flurry to clinch the victory.

Everything he caught was in 8 feet of water or less.

After a horrendous practice and a trailer breakdown, Diehl anchored his 106.75-inch limit with a 23.50-inch largemouth.

“I have no regrets,” he said. “This was an amazing experience. It ranks in the Top 5 of all my performances. This is a dream come true. My goal was just to walk across the stage. Leaving with second place, I’m happy to be here.”

The Georgia angler experienced one of the most unusual ChatterBait bites in the Glade area of the lake. Fishing a drain with stumps in 2 to 4 feet of water, Diehl would pitch his Z-Man ChatterBait Elite Evo to the stump, drop it, and lightly shake it.

The bass would eat it and then sit next to the cover with the bait in its mouth.

“I started finding more bucks when I was following the drain. As I went back, I was seeing more and more bass relating to the ditch itself,” he said. “I continued to scan, and I made a cast towards a piece of timber, and I got hung up at the top of it. I dragged it through and when I did that, I let it drop to fix some line, and a fish sat on it. That was a 22.5. That’s when I realized they wanted it slow.”

Hailing from Anderson, S.C., Nall experienced the best hour of fishing in his life during this tournament, landing everything in his final 106.75-inch limit in the final moments of the tournament.

“It was the most magical day of fishing or even an hour of fishing I’ve experienced in my life,” he said. “I knew I had to find something really special.”

He landed just one keeper bass in practice; Nall was just hoping to score one bass in the tournament. With three hours left he looked at the leaderboard and saw the crazy totals, and knew hungry prespawners would be his key.

“The only way I knew how to do that was to chuck and wind a Rat-L-Trap,” Nall said. “I did that on clay points with a channel swing pushing up against it. One particular point, I pulled up to it and caught a 21 1/2 the first cast. I came back and made the same cast again and caught a 21 1/4. The next 20 to 30 minutes, I caught five over 20.”

A Rapala lipless crankbait was his key bait, mostly because it was the last lipless bait left in his tacklebox.

Ewing Minor anchored his fourth-place 106.25-inch limit with the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 24.25-inch largemouth he landed on a jerkbait.

The Top 14 finishers cashed a check.

Full results from the 2025 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship scored by TourneyX can be found here.

The Wood County Economic Development Commission hosted the event.

Great Lakes Finesse Creates The Ultimate Finesse Rods

Bass News

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

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Great Lakes Finesse Creates The Ultimate Finesse Rods

By FTR Industry Wire

March 21, 2025

To compliment their advanced finesse soft plastic and terminal fishing solutions, Great Lakes Finesse has now launched the most sensitive and longest-casting finesse rods on the planet.

The team at Great Lakes Finesse often gets asked about rod recommendations for optimal performance with GLF Baits. That has been tough to answer, beyond recommending length, speed and action and describing some attributes, because they had not found perfect rods and had mostly leaned on custom builds. All that changes with the release of GLF Finesse CX Rods.

Created for the angler who wants the best tools in existence for presenting finesse baits and hooking and landing giant smallmouth bass, Finesse CX Rods are built to the GLF team’s highest standards for maximum sensitivity, extra-long casts, comfort and ideal combinations of length, power and action for finesse techniques.

Premium high-modulus carbon blanks are woven into an X pattern for maximum sensitivity, durability and crispness and left uncoated to reduce weight and eliminate glare for close-range fishing. One-piece, non-slip ergonomic carbon handles maximize sensitivity and comfort while minimizing weight. Durable matte black AT Microwave Air Guides allow for the longest possible casts and keep rod weight low.

Three spinning models of GLF Finesse CX Rods are available.

FCX78ML – This 7-foot, 8-inch medium light, fast action rod is the longest casting and most parabolic in the line-up and ideal for finesse hair jigs, underspins, wacky rigs and Cindy rigs.
FCX74ML – This 7-foot, 4-inch medium light, fast action rod can handle any finesse presentation and is the one to get if you can only have one!
FCX78MH – This 7-foot, 8-inch medium heavy, extra-fast action rod is designed for bottom presentations like dragging a tube or Juvy Craw or fishing a heavy Ned rig or finesse jig and will allow you to connect with more fish and get them in the boat.

MSRP: 399.99

Wyatt & Tuttle Win 2025 NC MARINE HYCO TRAIL Championship

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

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Wyatt & Tuttle Win 2025 NC MARINE HYCO TRAIL Championship

Championship Day

Well it’s a wrap for the 2025 NC MARINE HYCO TRAIL!

We had the 5th and final tournament of the NC MARINE HYCO TRAIL last Saturday. We also got to Crown the 2025 Points Champions for the trail.

I want to start off by saying THANK YOU to NC Marine Sales for Sponsoring the trail and making it happen. Mr. Brandon-Stacy Patrick has been a sponsor of the 5 Alive Team Trail since the very 1st Tournament we ever had. Great guy, Great company and Great sponsor! Thanks again!!

We had 33 boats for last Saturday’s event. Once again some good bags at the top of the leaderboard. Hyco lake has come a long ways in the last few years showing improvement in the quality of fish that are being caught.
After the weigh in was complete it was the team of Donnie Wyatt & Matt Tuttle that took home the WIN

They had a 5 fish limit weighing 19.78 pounds. That earned them a total of

$1140.00

for their victory. Great job guys!!
They were followed by the Father/Daughter team of Ross Oliver & Emily Larabee. They had a 5 fish limit weighing 17.96 pounds anchored by a 7.23 pound fish which also earned them the title of Big Fish of the tournament. They carried home

$1030.00

for their efforts. As you can see in the pictures Ms. Emily was as happy as she could be. That’s what this is all about!!

We also crowned our 2025 Points Champions. We are proud to announce the 2025 NC MARINE Points Champions

Mr. Larry Gilbert & Kyle Gilbert

They started off the season by winning the the 1st Tournament of the trail and never looked back. They stayed consistent all year and led the Points race the entire season. They took home

$1000.00

and 2025 Points Champions plaques. Also want to mention that they also fish out of a Caymas boat which happens to be a sponsor of the trail as well.
GREAT JOB guys and Congratulations!!!!

The top 2 finishing Caymas Boats.
Jeff Staton & Logan Staton -$300.00
Larry & Kyle Gilbert – $200.00

BIG CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who placed in the money!
Want to say THANK YOU to everyone who came out and fished with us this year in the NC MARINE HYCO TRAIL.

Want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Tournament director Tim Staton & his wife Pam Staton on doing an exceptional job again this year on running the tournament trail. Thank you to both of them for all they do!

Everyone be on the look out for the qualified teams list to be able to fish the Southern Door Solutions Big 5 Spring Championship at Mayo Lake on April 19th ,2025

Dont forget our new Gaston Trail fires up tomorrow 3/22/2025 going out of Salmons Landing. Tournament #2 of the Gaston Trail is next Saturday 3/29/2025.

Qualifier #2 of the Guaranteed $7000.00 Trail is next Saturday 3/29/2025 at Jordan Lake – Farrington Ramp.
If you have any questions or want to pre register contact me Kevin Sheppard at 336-264-8416.
Thanks!

Results.
1st. Wyatt & Tuttle- 19.78 pounds- $1140.00 TWT
2nd. Oliver & Larabee- 19.96 pounds- $1030.00 TWT
3rd. Jeff Wolfe – 16.56 pounds- $500.00 TWT
4th. J. Staton & L.Staton- 15.27 pounds-$300.00
5th. Casey Nichols – 14.77 pounds- $200.00
6th. C.Mullins & J.Mullins- 14.65 pounds-$110.00
7th. Gammon & Hoarsley – 14 40 pounds
8th. Dalton & West- 14.30 pounds
9th. T. Fox & Hall – 14.21 pounds
10th. T. Staton & P. Staton- 13.75 pounds

Big Fish.
Oliver & Larabee- 7.23 pounds – $330.00

Old Town® Launches Five New Watercrafts

Bass News

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

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Old Town® Launches Five New Watercrafts

By FTR Industry Wire

March 20, 2025

Old Town unveils its next generation of watercraft, offering feature-rich options for anglers and recreational kayakers that redefine how they experience onwater pursuits.

Old Town, Maine – The Sportsman Line is going PRO with two new models, the PDL 120 PRO & ePDL+ 120 PRO, designed for anglers who need customization and propulsion flexibility. For recreational users, three new sit-on-top additions to the Ocean Kayak Line include features designed to help them go farther, play harder, and extend those dreamy summer days.

“For over 125 years, Old Town has continuously focused on product innovations that reflect customers’ preferred ways of spending time on the water,” says Ally Spaight, Senior Integrated Marketing Manager at Johnson Outdoors. “A steady rise in kayak fishing and outdoor recreation popularity continues to catapult the brand’s dedication to kayak innovation for on-water enthusiasts.”

Old Town Sportsman PDL 120 PRO & ePDL+ 120 PRO
The all-new 12-foot Sportsman Line offerings are based on the line’s most popular platform and are a product of extensive feedback from consumers, product engineers, and pro staff. The hallmark of the new Sportsman PDL 120 PRO and ePDL+ 120 PRO is the overhauled watercraft interior designed by Old Town’s engineers to maximize functionality, offer customization options, provide ample storage solutions, and enhance interior space while maintaining the existing PDL 120 footprint. Both PRO models are available in two exclusive new colors: Sierra and Storm.

CLICK TO FINISH READING

Bugging Bass – DAIWA

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

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Bugging Bass

Ever Green’s new GEZZY works wonders on pressured fish and as a quick snack for everything else.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (March 21, 2025) – “All fish have eaten insects at some point in their life,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin. “Buggy shapes are familiar and hard to pass up on.”In this spirit, Ever Green, partnered with DAIWA, brings the amazing GEZZY to the North American market.Its leggy invertebrate profile is critter-ish as it gets. But in truth, there are plenty of buggy-looking baits available. So, what sets Ever Green’s GEZZY apart? We’re more than happy to explain…

GEZZY (Secret Smoke)

“Just shy of two-inches long, the GEZZY is a versatile and effective bait for bass that are already heavily pressured by fishing or just looking for an easy meal,” said Martin. “But it’s the actual devil in the details that makes the GEZZY so distinctive.”First and foremost, the GEZZY is uniquely heavy for its size, which instills a slow sink rate rigged weightless with only a wide-gap hook. Its durable salted body is responsible for this heft, which also promotes surprisingly long casts for such a small bait. How the GEZZY falls through the water is equally remarkable. “The GEZZY is balanced and sinks perfectly horizontal,” said Martin. “It doesn’t glide or tumble but drops with its back up and belly down…always. Additionally, the appendages quiver and vibrate on the fall, which also slows the fall. It’s amazing to see in the water. And we already know bass love it.” Stealth is part of the equation, too. “Sometimes, just the mere plop of a bait hitting the surface will spook fish,” said Martin. “Not so with the GEZZY. It lands softly with just a little ping, exactly like an insect landing on the water.”

Pressured fish will also pay notice. “We fish a lot of public waters where bass have seen about everything,” said Martin. “They turn tail on crankbaits, even snubbing subtler offerings like a worm on a wacky rig. The GEZZY, however, gets them to open up. Too natural and tempting to pass on.”How about on a Ned rig? “Early feedback we received during testing was that the GEZZY was fantastic on a Ned jig,” said Martin. Falls right in line with the juvenile crawfish and dragonfly nymphs bass feast on. Any alternative uses? Inshore saltwater species gorge on shrimp, and in some tidal waters, even insect larvae, making the GEZZY a stealthy bait for speckled trout, redfish, and snook. It’s fair to surmise that mega crappies and even bream will take a shot at a GEZZY, too.Like Martin said at the beginning, “All fish have eaten insects at some point in their life.” That’s enough argument to slip a pack or two of GEZZY’s in your tackle bag this season.

TINY CRAWDAD

GREEN PUMPKIN

WILD CRAW

LIVE SHRIMP

GRASSHOPPER

GEZZY FEATURES:Perfectly balancedSlow falls horizontallySegmented bellyAppendages quiver and further slow the fallDurable salted bodySIZE: 1.8”COLORS: Green Pumpkin, Tiny Crawdad, Live Shrimp, Secret Smoke, Wild Craw, and GrasshopperMSRP $12.99 (6 pack)

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us

Dylan Nutt Goes Back-to-Back in Central Division with Win at MLF Toyota Series at Lake Chickamauga

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

0

Dylan Nutt Goes Back-to-Back in Central Division with Win at MLF Toyota Series at Lake Chickamauga

DAYTON, Tenn. (March 21, 2025) – “Back-to-back winner” has a nice ring to it, no matter what game you’re playing. If you’re Tennessee pro Dylan Nutt, it actually has a handful of meanings. Nutt weighed in 18 pounds, 12 ounces on the final day Thursday at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division tournament on Lake Chickamauga to push his three-day total to 81-14, giving the 21-year-old University of North Alabama junior back-to-back wins in one of the most competitive circuits in tournament bass fishing.

Even more impressive, Nutt’s 81-14 performance signifies back-to-back 80-plus-pound Series events (he had 84-4 at Pickwick) and back-to-back entries in the list of all-time heaviest bags in MLF Series history (he’s now fourth and ninth, respectively).

Coupled with his Pickwick win, Nutt’s Chickamauga victory boosted his February/March winnings to just over $76,000, placed him in the catbird seat for Fishing Clash Angler of the Year honors for the division and boosted his MLF winning percentage to an outlandish 27% – he’s won four of the 15 MLF events he’s entered in a brief career dating back to Abu Garcia High School Fishing in 2021.

“It’s crazy to even think about (back-to-back wins) in this division,” Nutt said. “I don’t know how to describe this (streak). I think it’s just God telling me it’s my time. I’m fishing extremely confidently.”

Alabama pro Hayden O’Barr finished second with 79-0, followed by Ethan Fields (73-14), Carter Nutt (72-15) and Dillon Falardeau (72-5)

Nutt entered the final day on Chickamauga with a hearty 8-4 lead over Falardeau and with a good shot at eclipsing Michael Yoder’s all-time Series mark of 93-8 from Falcon Lake in 2010. Nutt kicked off with what he called a “decent start” with a handful of 3-pounders and a 5-pounder, but plateaued for a good part of the day until connecting with a 4-pounder with 15 minutes left to push him over the 18-pound mark.

It was a far cry from the 31-pound bags Nutt had weighed the first two days of the event, but a drop that trended in the same direction as much of the final-day field (Top 10 weights averaged 3 pounds lower on Thursday then Tuesday). Nutt had made hay for two days with a TrueBass FF Minnow on a 1/4-ounce Scottsboro Tackle tungsten jighead, an orange Berkley Frittside and an unnamed jerkbait, fishing a hard-bottom staging area at the mouth of a spawning bay.

It was an area he located on the first day of the tournament, caught a personal-best 10-11 on his first cast on Day 2 and exploited for a hearty percentage of the 63-2 he weighed in the first two days.

“I’d caught an 8 and a couple of 6 1/2s and last a 10-pounder there the first day, and then caught the 10-11 on my first cast on Day 2 – that was a good spot,” Nutt said. “It dried up on me, I couldn’t get a bite there (the final day), maybe because of the dropping water – it dropped maybe 2 feet during the tournament. I had to fish around on new water, which wasn’t really working very good. I caught that 4-pounder right before I ran back in.”

Regardless of how the rest of Nutt’s 2025 season unfolds, the 21-year-old’s efforts in February and March alone represent one of the most impressive runs of tournament success in recent memory:

His 84-4 at the early February event at Pickwick was the heaviest three-day Series weight ever for Pickwick and the fourth-heaviest weight ever in Series competition.
His 81-14 this week is second only to Banks Shaw’s all-time Series Chick record of 82-12 in 2024.
Nutt’s two-day total from just Days 1 and 2 on Chickamauga (63-2) rank in the Top 100 in Series history.
Nutt’s three 30-pound days to date this season (30-0 on Day 3 at Pickwick; 31-13 and 31-5 on Days 1 and 2 at Chickamauga) place him in exclusive company: he’s one of only five MLF anglers in history with three or more 30-plus-pound career bags to their credit.

As noteworthy as Nutt’s tournament stats are, Chickamauga’s productivity in 2025 is equally impressive. This week produced four 30-plus-pound bags (two for Nutt, one apiece for Falardeau and O’Barr). The 59-mile-long Tennessee River impoundment kicked out 32-7 for Corey Neece in the Feb. 8 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division opener; a month later, Tripp Berlinsky popped 32-9 to win the March 8 Choo Choo Division BFL event on Chickamauga.
“Chickamauga is unbelievable, it has a lot of big fish in it,” Nutt said. “You have to come out here with the mindset that you’re going to catch big ones. Every time I’ve ever been here, there are always giants caught. This place is full of ‘em.”

The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Lake Chickamauga finished:

1st:        Dylan Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass, 81-14, $36,067
2nd:       Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., 15 bass, 79-0, $13,782
3rd:       Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., 15 bass, 73-14, $10,670
4th:        Carter Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass, 72-15, $8,892
5th:        Dillon Falardeau, Hixson, Tenn., 15 bass, 72-5, $8,003
6th:        Lake Johnson, Trinity, Ala., 15 bass, 67-14, $7,113
7th:        Fisher Anaya, Eva, Ala., 15 bass, 66-4, $6,724
8th:        Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 66-4, $6,335 (includes $1,000 Phoenix Bonus)
9th:        Logan Dyar, Cleveland, Ala., 15 bass, 64-11, $4,446
10th:     Preston Kolisek, Loretto, Tenn., 15 bass, 64-6, $3,557

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Fisher Anaya earned Tuesday’s Day 1 $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces, while tournament-winner Nutt earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass on Wednesday with a 10-pound, 11-ounce lunker to earn the $500 prize.

Brian Brecka of Alma, Wisconsin, won the co-angler division Thursday with a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 43 pounds, 1 ounce. Brecka earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Lake Chickamauga finished:

1st:        Brian Brecka, Alma, Wis., 14 bass, 43-1, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd:       David Ramirez, Sugar Hill, Ga., 12 bass, 39-14, $4,506
3rd:       Chuck Higgins, Englewood, Ohio, 13 bass, 39-14, $3,605
4th:        Kris McCarter, Pheba, Miss., 11 bass, 33-15, $3,154
5th:        James Cobbs, Vinemont, Ala., 11 bass, 32-2, $2,704
6th:        Joseph Chilcott, Williamson, Ga., 10 bass, 29-15, $2,253
7th:        Joshua Paul, Oliver Springs, Tenn., 12 bass, 29-15, $1,802
8th:        Cason Sanchez, Fayetteville, Tenn., eight bass, 28-7, $1,577
9th:        Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., 12 bass, 28-6, $1,352
10th:     Kevin Henderson, Honea Path, S.C., 10 bass, 28-4, $1,127

Co-angler Alex Moore of Chester, Illinois, earned Tuesday’s Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after bringing an 8-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale to win the $150 prize, while Wednesday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to John White of Corryton, Tennessee, who weighed in a 7-pound, 6-ounce largemouth.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Chickamauga was hosted by the Rhea County Department of Tourism – Fish Dayton. It was the second of three regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Central Division. The third and final event for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division regular season will be May 14-16 – The Toyota Series at Lake Guntersville Presented by Suzuki Marine in Scottsboro, Alabama. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2025 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and the Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2026. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2025 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 6-8 on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, and is hosted by the City of Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

2025 Spring Classic Sale

Bass News

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

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Let the Bass Cast help you rake in the savings and buy more, tackle with these discounts.

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Safely Sinking by DAIWA

Brian Carter

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March 21, 2025

0

Safely Sinking

NOW AVAILABLE, XBRAID’s new Sinking SS112 braid reduces live bait fatigue, keeps rigs on the bottom, cranks with authority, advances FFS techniques, and lets you explore the entire water column with authority.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (March 21, 2025) – The influence line selection has on performance is substantial. A perfectly paired rod and reel spooled with the wrong line massively affects the state of play. For example, if you fish 25-lb. monofilament on a rod rated for 8- to 12-lb., casts will be short and clunky and there’s but a scarce chance of feeling a bite.At the opposite end of the spectrum, spooling with a premium specialty line that matches your exact techniques and or conditions, and the results are splendid. This is the baseline thinking behind XBRAID’s new Sinking SS112 fishing line – the SS standing for “slow sinking”. Before delving into the specific merits of Sinking SS112, it’s prudent to showcase Japan’s XBRAID family and what makes these lines so groundbreaking.Let’s begin at the beginning. For years, braided lines woven with Dyneema^® were considered the most progressive, but that’s changing as IZANAS^® takes the lead. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material has the highest strength and modulus of any manmade fiber. How strong? Try nearly 8 times stronger than piano wire of the same weight.“Beyond IZANAS being an unrivaled base material, it’s how individual weights of the entire XBRAID family are manufactured that makes it far superior to the competition,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin. “Other companies take a single base material and stretch it to achieve the desired diameter and weight. This creates inconsistencies, which can lead to weak spots.”

Uniquely, each diameter and weight of XBRAID is produced from a dedicated spool. So, for example, if 10-pound XBRAID is the desired final weight, the base material fiber is 10-pound. No stretching. No irregularities.Martin goes on to underscore the weaving process employed for all XBRAID lines. “The actual weaving machines are proprietary and built in-house to create the WX Weave. In traditional weaving processes used by other brands the line comes off multiple bobbins. That means an in an 8 strand weave there are 8 bobbins spitting out line. That results in line twist and inconsistencies.”With XBRAID’s “top secret” WX Weave, the strands come together uniformly to yield exceptional consistency. Moreover, the XBRAID process produces a denser weave – 1.5 X the competition – with more material in the finished product. That tighter weave results in a smoother, more abrasion resistant, and exceptionally sensitive fishing line. The meticulous process also takes twice as long as the competition, and anglers are the beneficiaries of the patient production.The WX Weave also generates a rounder and slightly stiffer line. This modest amount of stiffness makes it much easier to handle and tie, nearer how monofilament feels. This manageability translates into fewer bird’s nests on the cast, too. But if you happen to snarl, the micro stiffness makes it much easier to untangle the knot.

MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS FOR XBRAID SINKING SS112A higher sink rate clearly improves efficacy for certain fishing techniques. For starters, XBRAID Sinking SS112 offers a massive advantage in saltwater environs. We’ve all seen live bait exhaust while struggling against buoyant line – and most braids float. But spool up with XBRAID Sinking SS112, and your bait is driven down, reducing fatigue on mullet, sardine, pilcher, or whatever your baitfish of choice.“XBRAID Sinking SS112 also keeps your bait pinned to the bottom,” said Martin. “That’s crucial for so many bass fishing applications, like dropshotting, Ned rigging, Neko rigging, and Wacky Rigging, as well as jigging a vertical spoon or keeping a shaky head on the bottom.”Sinking line is beneficial, too, when exploring a sizable section of the water column, say with a spybait, lipless crankbait, or hair jig. Add to that crankbait fishing, as sinking line reduces line bow and maximizes a bait’s running depth.Forward-facing sonar (FFS) enthusiasts also have a friend in XBRAID Sinking SS112. Getting a lure down rapidly to detected fish is crucial, as they mightn’t be there long. Sinking line accelerates the operation.

Spool up with XBRAID Sinking SS-112, and your bait is driven down, reducing fatigue on mullet, sardine, pilcher, or whatever your baitfish of choice.

How does XBRAID Sinking SS112 achieve such depths? It’s all in the materials and manufacturing. Martin talked about the materials: “It’s an 8-strand carrier like the other XBRAID models, but what makes Sinking SS112 different is the equal parts blend of IZANAS® and ester (polyester). Ester has less stretch than monofilament and fluorocarbon – which is used by other brands – and is higher density than water, so it sinks.It’s in the weaving, too. “The IZANAS and ester are interwoven for greater density and consistency,” said Martin.” Other brands typically wrap braid material around fluorocarbon, which promotes bunching and irregularities.”XBRAID Sinking SS112 comes in a high visibility yellow for maximum management. To that, the line is UV activated for lowlight fishing conditions.

XBRAID Sinking SS112 FEATURES:Balanced blend of IZANAS^® polyethylene and ester to strands to promote sinking8-carrier braidProprietary WX Weave processHigh visibility yellow with UV activationPerfectly roundHigh breaking strengthAbrasion resistant165-yard spoonAvailable in 8-lb to 30-lb weightsMSRP $25.99

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us

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Bugging Bass – DAIWA

Dylan Nutt Goes Back-to-Back in Central Division with Win at MLF Toyota Series at Lake Chickamauga

Safely Sinking by DAIWA

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