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MLF BIG-5

North Carolina’s Morgan and Chandler Earn Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on High Rock Lake

SALISBURY, N.C. (June 15, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Salisbury with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on High Rock Lake events. FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, rescheduled the events after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to pause competition in mid-March.

Boaters Brian Morgan of Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 22 pounds even to win Saturday’s event, while Kevin Chandler of New London, North Carolina, brought in a limit weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces on Sunday to earn the win. Morgan earned $5,511 for his win Saturday, while Chandler won Sunday’s top prize of $4,359.

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

            1st:       Brian Morgan of Sherrills Ford, N.C., five bass, 22-0, $5,511

            2nd:      Greg Lahr of Fayetteville, N.C., four bass, 16-6, $2,398

            3rd:       Doug Young of Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 16-0, $1,595

            4th:       Lucas Hedrick of Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 15-15, $1,119

            5th:       Ryan Deal of Marshville, N.C., five bass, 15-13, $959

Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Morgan brought a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale to add Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $715 to his winnings.

Matt Stark of Mooresville, North Carolina, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500 Saturday. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Brad Hendrix of Greensboro, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $2,381 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

            1st:       Brad Hendrix of Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 19-5, $2,381

            2nd:      Dale Surrett of Midland, N.C., five bass, 14-7, $1,191

            3rd:       Greg Robertson of King, N.C., five bass, 12-15, $791

            4th:       Thomas McDermott of Madison, N.C., two bass, 10-10, $911

            5th:       Doug File of Salisbury, N.C., four bass, 9-3, $476

McDermott caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $355.

A person wearing sunglasses and holding a sign

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The top five boaters on Sunday were:

            1st:       Kevin Chandler of New London, N.C., five bass, 19-3, $4,359

            2nd:      Rodney Bell of Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 17-15, $2,179

            3rd:       Jason Wilson of Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 17-14, $1,452

            4th:       Curtis Dillon of Advance, N.C., five bass, 17-11, $1,017

            5th:       Mike Miller of Trinity, N.C., five bass, 17-9, $872

Complete results for Sunday’s event on High Rock Lake can be found at FLWFishing.com.

David Cooke of Mooresville, North Carolina, brought a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $625.

Jason Thomas of Lexington, North Carolina, was Sunday’s highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500.

Greg Robertson of King, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $2,179 Sunday after catching four bass weighing 11 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

            1st:       Greg Robertson of King, N.C., four bass, 11-15, $2,179

            2nd:      Brandon Shaver of Albemarle, N.C., five bass, 10-3, $1,090

            3rd:       Jack Pollio of Lincolnton, N.C., three bass, 9-15, $725

            4th:       Orlando Giles of Lexington, N.C., three bass, 9-3, $509

            5th:       Robert Jarrett of Lexington, N.C., two bass, 8-8, $748

Jarrett caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $312.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on High Rock Lake was the second and third of five qualifying events in the North Carolina Division.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the North Carolina Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, hosted by Richmond Region Tourism. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.

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

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.

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MLF BIG-5

Arkansas’ Dixon and Houchin Earn Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Lake Dardanelle

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (June 15, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Russellville with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Lake Dardanelle events. FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, rescheduled the events after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to pause competition in mid-March.

A person wearing a hat

Description automatically generatedBoater Wayne Dixon of Morrilton, Arkansas, brought three bass to the scale totaling 10 pounds, 11 ounces to win Saturday’s event and earn $5,127, but Mabelvale’s Quincy Houchin was the big winner on the weekend. Houchin finished second Saturday – good for $3,139 – then backed it up with a win on Sunday, which earned him the top prize of $12,309, including the lucrative $7,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus contingency award.

Houchin also cashed the Boater Big Bass Award in both days of competition, weighing a 4-pound, 11-ouncer on Saturday to win $575 and a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass on Sunday to earn $505.

“The key was staying consistent with it,” Houchin said. “I figured out a little something – certain targets and how they lined up on the bank – and that was key this weekend.”

“The tough conditions played to my advantage,” said Dixon, who picked up his second career FLW win Saturday. “I fished on the lower end of the lake, fishing rock and brush that was 5 to 15 feet deep. I caught seven keepers on multiple different baits.”

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

            1st:       Wayne Dixon of Morrilton, Ark., three bass, 10-11, $5,127

            2nd:      Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark., three bass, 10-7, $3,139

            3rd:       Larry Gragg of Pine Bluff, Ark., three bass, 10-1, $1,377

            4th:       Travis Mosley of Benton, Ark., three bass, 9-12, $963

            5th:       Jessie Clark of Bonnerdale, Ark., three bass, 9-4, $791

            5th:       Justin Hake of Conway, Ark., three bass, 9-4, $791

Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Houchin was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500 Saturday. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Randy Allen of Russellville, Arkansas, won the Co-angler Division and $2,059 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 10 pounds even.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

            1st:       Randy Allen of Russellville, Ark., three bass, 10-0, $2,059

            2nd:      Geoffrey Lancaster of Conway, Ark., three bass, 8-13, $1,030

            3rd:       Bradley McDaniel of Wynne, Ark., three bass, 8-11, $969

            4th:       Ethan Sutton of Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 7-14, $480

            5th:       William Davis of Booneville, Ark., three bass, 7-11, $412

Bradley McDaniel of Wynne, Arkansas, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 5 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $282.

On Sunday, Houchin said he caught his fish throwing a black buzzbait and flipping an unnamed black-and-blue-colored Beaver-style bait.

“I started at the same place I caught a big one on Saturday and never caught a fish,” Houchin said. “I started working my way upriver and I ended up finding them. They bit much more aggressively today (Sunday).”

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

            1st:       Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark., three bass, 13-14, $12,309

            2nd:      Charles Williams of Clarksville, Ark., three bass, 10-13, $1,902

            3rd:       Derek Sandlin of Mount Ida, Ark., three bass, 10-10, $1,267

            4th:       Scott Hardin of Little Rock, Ark., three bass, 10-9, $888

            5th:       Steve Howard of Conway, Ark., three bass, 10-5, $729

            5th:       Josh Hilton of Clarksville, Ark., three bass, 10-5, $729

Complete results for Sunday’s event on Lake Dardanelle can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Houchin was also Sunday’s highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $7,000 for winning the tournament.

Jared Allen of Conway, Arkansas, won the Co-angler Division and $1,902 Sunday after catching three bass weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

            1st:       Jared Allen of Conway, Ark., three bass, 11-13, $1,902

            2nd:      Johnny Payne of Leslie, Ark., three bass, 11-7, $1,203

            3rd:       Buck Blackwell of Pine Bluff, Ark., three bass, 10-10, $634

            4th:       Alvin Williams of Hartman, Ark., three bass, 7-13, $444

            4th:       Bradley McDaniel of Wynne, Ark., three bass, 7-4, $380

Payne caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $252.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Lake Dardanelle was hosted by Russellville Advertising & Promotions. It was the second and third of five qualifying events in the Arkie Division.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Arkie Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, hosted by ExploreBranson.com. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.

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

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.

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MLF BIG-5

Georgia’s Nixon and Alabama’s Smith Tie Saturday, Alabama’s Hayes Wins Sunday at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Neely Henry Lake

GADSDEN, Ala. (June 15, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Gadsden with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Neely Henry Lake events. FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, rescheduled the events after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to pause competition in mid-March.

Boaters Byron Smith of Tyrone, Georgia, and Jason Nixon of Wetumpka, Alabama, both brought a five-bass limit to the scale totaling 13 pounds, 10 ounces to tie for the win at Saturday’s event, while Hunter Hayes of Gadsden, Alabama, brought in a limit weighing 14 pounds, 12 ounces on Sunday to earn the win. Nixon and Smith each earned $2,937 for their wins Saturday, while Hayes won Sunday’s top prize of $4,545.

Smith fished shallow, flipping to wood and isolated grass clumps in the mid-lake area, while Nixon used nine different rods and junk-fished his way to a solid limit. Nixon said his key bait was flipping a watermelon red flake-colored Zoom Brush Hog.

“It was a tough practice, so I just kept a bait in the water,” Nixon said. “I culled one time and caught two short fish – only eight bites all day.”

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

            1st:       Jason Nixon of Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 13-10, $3,457

            1st:       Byron Smith of Tyrone, Ga., five bass, 13-10, $2,937

            3rd:       Steven White of Ashville, Ala., five bass, 13-4, $1,807

            4th:       Jordan Heath of Rainbow City, Ala., five bass, 13-2, $914

            5th:       Geoff McKnight of Rainbow City, Ala., five bass, 12-2, $983

Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Nixon brought a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale to add Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $520 to his winnings.

White was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500 Saturday. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Justin Thomas of Panama City, Florida, won the Co-angler Division and $1,958 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 10 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

            1st:       Justin Thomas of Panama City, Fla., four bass, 10-5, $1,958

            2nd:      Mark Denney of Perry, Ga., five bass, 9-4, $979

            3rd:       Justin Nalley of Fayetteville, Ga., four bass, 9-3, $653

            4th:       Daniel Buswell Jr. of Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 9-0, $457

            5th:       Thomas Taylor Ellington of Opelika, Ala., four bass, 8-12, $392

Chris Wade of Acworth, Georgia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $260.

A person wearing a uniform and holding a sign

Description automatically generatedOn Sunday, Hayes went up the river targeting laydowns and openings with a crankbait to earn his victory.

“I knew how tough the grass was yesterday, so today (Sunday) I went way up the river fishing for spotted bass,” Hayes said. “I got lucky and caught a nice 4-pound largemouth and ended up filling out my limit with 2¼-pound spots.

“I caught my fish on a (Rapala) DT6 crankbait in chartreuse with a blue top,” Hayes continued. “There was no pressure up the river – I might have seen five other boats all day.”

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

            1st:       Hunter Hayes of Gadsden, Ala., five bass, 14-12, $4,545

            2nd:      Geoff McKnight of Rainbow City, Ala., five bass, 13-5, $1,973

            3rd:       Kris Colley of Ragland, Ala., five bass, 12-8, $1,181

            4th:       Jason Nixon of Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 12-3, $827

            5th:       George Crain of Cropwell, Ala., five bass, 11-15, $1,154

Complete results for Sunday’s event on Neely Henry Lake can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Crain brought a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $445.

Jeff Kitchens of Auburn, Alabama, was Sunday’s highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500.

Danny Moss of Glencoe, Alabama, won the Co-angler Division and $1,773 Sunday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 9 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

            1st:       Danny Moss of Glencoe, Ala., five bass, 9-15, $1,773

            2nd:      Dennis Sandoval of Decatur, Ala., five bass, 9-13, $886

            3rd:       Andrew Fisher of Anniston, Ala., five bass, 9-1, $591

            4th:       Scott Carpenter of Childersburg, Ala., five bass, 8-4, $414

            5th:       Rod Smith of Pell City, Ala., five bass, 8-1, $355

Brad Sampson of Carriere, Mississippi, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $222.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Neely Henry Lake was hosted by the City of Gadsden. It was the second and third of five qualifying events in the Bama Division.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Bama Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.

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

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.

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MLF BIG-5

Tennessee’s Jones Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (June 15, 2020) – Boater Charles Jones of Beech Bluff, Tennessee, brought three bass to the scale Saturday weighing 12 pounds, 9 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. For his victory, Jones earned $4,385.

Already in the FLW record books for his BFL win as a boater on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes in 2014, the 75-year-old Jones broke his own record and became the second-oldest angler to ever win as a boater in the BFL’s modern era. Only fellow Tennessean George Taylor of Dresden has been older – he won a BFL event in 2014 at the age of 77.

“It feels pretty good to get a win at this age,” Jones said after the weigh-in. “I had a good day – I caught everything that bit. I thought I was going to need one more good one, but it turns out that I didn’t.

“I was fishing ledges in Tennessee,” the Beech Bluff angler went on to say. “Everything I caught came on a Strike King jig with a Rage Craw trailer.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1st:       Charles Jones of Beech Bluff, Tenn., three bass, 12-9, $4,385

            2nd:      Craig Hipsher of Benton, Ky., three bass, 10-5, $2,193

            3rd:       Robert Linton of Cadiz, Ky., three bass, 9-4, $1,463

            4th:       David Carroll of Manitou, Ky., three bass, 9-3, $1,023

            5th:       Gary Singleton of Dickson, Tenn., two bass, 9-0, $877

            6th:       David Hames of Trezevant, Tenn., three bass, 8-14, $804

            7th:       Steve Freeman of Eddyville, Ky., three bass, 8-12, $731

            8th:       Kevin Caskey of Madisonville, Ky., three bass, 8-5, $658

            9th:       Carl Lee of Jackson, Tenn., three bass, 8-3, $585

            10th:     Daniel Langton of Evansville, Ind., three bass, 8-2, $486

            10th:     Doug Stamper of Wayne, W. Va., three bass, 8-2, $486

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Eric Sanders of Lexington, Kentucky, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $620 after bringing a 6-pound bass to the scale.

Edward Gettys of Paris, Tennessee, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Bobby Wade of Mayfield, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $2,136 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1st:       Bobby Wade of Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 11-12, $2,136

            2nd:      William Holden of Cincinnati, Ohio, three bass, 10-13, $1,068

            2nd:      Charles Richardson III of Newbern, Tenn., three bass, 9-8, $712

            4th:       Greg Beam of Mount Sterling, Ky., three bass, 7-4, $498

            5th:       Benton Peoples of Bardstown, Ky., three bass, 6-15, $427

            6th:       Wesley Dunn of Paducah, Ky., two bass, 6-14, $392

            7th:       Barry Gunter of Trafalgar, Ind., three bass, 6-11, $356

            8th:       Andrew Dunford of Christopher, Ill., three bass, 6-7, $320

            8th:       Greg James of Carterville, Ill., three bass, 6-5, $285

            10th:     Alan Brasher of Decaturville, Tenn., two bass, 6-4, $249

Wayne Miller of Morgantown, Kentucky, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $297.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes was the opening event of five qualifying tournaments in the LBL division.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the LBL Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.

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

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.

Categories
MLF BIG-5

Wisconsin’s Joe Pollak Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Wolf River Chain

WINNECONNE, Wis. (June 15, 2020) – Boater Joe Pollak of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Wolf River Chain of Lakes in Winneconne, Wisconsin. For his victory, Pollak earned $5,127.

“I went up the Wolf River and ended up catching a few fish on swim jigs,” said Pollak, who earned his third career victory in FLW competition. “I didn’t really catch them good, and it took a little bit to figure them out. Towards the end of the day I switched to a Carolina rig as I was fishing back down and upgraded a few times.

“I ended up having a few largemouth to go along with three smallmouth,” Pollak continued. “It was definitely unexpected. I was fishing for smallmouth, so when the largies popped up I was surprised.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1st:       Joe Pollak of Lake Geneva, Wis., five bass, 15-2, $5,127

            2nd:      Clayton Reitz of Morton, Ill., five bass, 13-7, $2,064

            3rd:       Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 13-5, $1,377

            4th:       Adam Hatfield of Sparta, Wis., five bass, 13-3, $963

            5th:       Kyle Meyer of Blaine, Minn., five bass, 13-0, $825

            6th:       Rick Miller of Eastman, Wis., five bass, 12-15, $1,332

            7th:       Brian Fitzpatrick of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 12-11, $653

            7th:       Mike Kochanski of Bolingbrook, Ill., five bass, 12-11, $653

            9th:       Kevin Ruh of Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 12-10, $1,016

            9th:       Neal Wisinski of Stevens Point, Wis., five bass, 12-10, $516

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Miller claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $575 after bringing a 4-pound bass to the scale.

Ruh was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Michael Gray of Stoddard, Wisconsin, won the Co-angler Division and $2,078 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1st:       Michael Gray of Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 12-1, $2,078

            2nd:      Bradley Thatcher of Preston, Minn., five bass, 11-0, $1,039

            2nd:      Bruce Biermann of Byron, Ill., five bass, 10-12, $691

            4th:       Ed Remian of Schiller Park, Ill., five bass, 10-11, $485

            5th:       Andrew Hegerty of Colgate, Wis., five bass, 9-6, $416

            6th:       Jason Olson of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., five bass, 9-2, $381

            7th:       Douglas Ley of Janesville, Wis., three bass, 8-8, $346

            8th:       Mike Marr of Westfield, Wis., four bass, 8-6, $312

            8th:       Scott Miller of Burlington, Wis., four bass, 7-11, $277

            10th:     Gregg Kizewski of Saint Germain, Wis., three bass, 6-15, $242

Alan Pierschalla of Slinger, Wisconsin, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 3 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $285.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Wolf River Chain of Lakes was the opening event of five qualifying tournaments in the Great Lakes division.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Great Lakes Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, hosted by ExploreBranson.com. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.

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

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.

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MLF BIG-5

Louisianas’ Brett Hortman Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake of the Pines

JEFFERSON, Texas (June 15, 2020) – Boater Brett Hortman of Natchitoches, Louisiana, earned the win at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at Lake of the Pines Saturday after bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 26 pounds, 11 ounces. For his victory, Hortman earned $4,315.

The tournament was the fourth of five events in the Cowboy Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.

“I was mid-lake, fishing secondary points,” said Hortman, who earned the first tournament win of his FLW career. “I was mainly fishing around 10 feet of water, throwing a 5/16-ounce magnum shaky head-rig with a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm (red bug).

“The key was my Humminbird electronics,” Hortman continued. “I hadn’t been on this lake before, but I put in a lot of windshield time during practice. I pretty much idled the whole lake and the shade mapping allowed me to idle right at that depth for two days and find a couple of good schools.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1st:       Brett Hortman of Natchitoches, La., five bass, 26-11, $4,315

            2nd:      Shane Gibson of Kilgore, Texas, five bass, 24-7, $2,157

            3rd:       James Ware of Longview, Texas, five bass, 22-12, $1,939

            4th:       Lamonte Loyd of Pittsburg, Texas, five bass, 21-6, $1,007

            5th:       Brad Smith of Longview, Texas, five bass, 19-1, $863

            6th:       Kevin Lasyone of Dry Prong, La., five bass, 18-8, $791

            7th:       Blake Istre of Orange, Texas, five bass, 18-7, $719

            8th:       Wyatt Frankens of Corrigan, Texas, five bass, 18-4, $611

            8th:       Kyle Dragulski of Lufkin, Texas, five bass, 18-4, $1,221

            10th:     Andrew Harp of Linden, Texas, five bass, 17-11, $503

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Dragulski claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $610 after bringing a 7-pound, 10-ounce largemouth to the scale.

Ware took home an extra $500 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Austin Roach of Big Sandy, Texas, won the Co-angler Division and $2,1577 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 20 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1st:       Austin Roach of Big Sandy, Texas, five bass, 20-6, $2,157

            2nd:      Clarence Schwarz of Irving, Texas, five bass, 17-2, $1,079

            3rd:       Ron Aulds of Choudrant, La., five bass, 16-13, $717

            3rd:       Julio Garza of Houston, Texas, five bass, 15-14, $503

            5th:       Chris Morris of Forest Hill, La., five bass, 15-5, $431

            6th:       James Moore Jr. of Lampasas, Texas, five bass, 14-14, $396

            6th:       Jake Inderman of Allen, Texas, five bass, 14-9, $360

            8th:       Ty Haymon of Oakdale, La., five bass, 14-8, $324

            9th:       Larry Davis of Gladewater, Texas, five bass, 14-1, $288

            10th:     David Cox of Silsbee, Texas, five bass, 13-12, $252

Alford Cherry of Monroe, Louisiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $305.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Cowboy Division presented by A.R.E. based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, hosted by Explore Branson. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.

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

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.