Month: June 2020

Alabama’s Glasgow Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Guntersville

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 24, 2020
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SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (June 23, 2020) – Boater Michael Glasgow of Grant, Alabama, brought a three-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Alabama. Glasgow earned a total of $6,261 for his victory.

“Every bite I had was on a jig,” said Glasgow, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “It was a brown, 3/4-ounce Strike King Football Head jig. I was sitting in about 30-feet of water, but most of my fish were coming in 12 to 15 (feet of water).

“There wasn’t a lot of current, so I was mainly just fishing hard spots,” Glasgow continued. “I started downriver, then bounced around between Goose Pond and Seibold (Creek). I culled four or five times and caught my last fish around 2:15.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

1^st: Michael Glasgow of Grant, Ala., three bass, 16-4, $6,261

2^nd: Ethan Hunter of Harrison, Tenn., three bass, 16-0, $2,631

3^rd: A.J. Barnes of Harrison, Tenn., three bass, 14-6, $2,573

4^th: Cal Lane of Guntersville, Tenn., three bass, 13-9, $1,228

5^th: Lee Black of Danville, Tenn., three bass, 13-8, $1,052

6^th: Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tenn., three bass, 13-7, $965

7^th: Rick Murphy of Chickamauga, Ga., three bass, 12-13, $877

8^th: John Bailey of Resaca, Ga., three bass, 12-9, $789

9^th: Wayne Christopher of Huntsville, Ala., three bass, 12-7, $657

9^th: Lake Blasingame of Killen, Ala., three bass, 12-7, $857

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Barnes brought a 7-pound, 7-ounce bass to the scale to win the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $820.

Greg Lamb of Birchwood, Tennessee, 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.

Hayden O’Barr of Gurley, Alabama, won the Co-angler Division and $3,021 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

1^st: Hayden O’Barr of Gurley, Ala., three bass, 15-8, $3,021

2^nd: Dennis McGouirk of Carrollton, Ga., three bass, 13-13, $1,307

3^rd: Tyler Turner of Harrison, Tenn., three bass, 11-9, $872

4^th: Mason Smith of Decatur, Ala., three bass, 11-1, $610

5^th: Neil Crider of Dalton, Ga., three bass, 10-15, $523

6^th: Benjamin Fouts of Morehead, Ky., three bass, 10-4, $479

7^th: Doug Garrett of Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 9-12, $414

7^th: Kyle Schuchard of Mulga, Ala., three bass, 9-12, $414

9^th: Wayne Kilgore of Attalla, Ala., three bass, 9-11, $327

9^th: Billy Johnson of Nashville, Tenn., three bass, 9-11, $327

O’Barr also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award and added $407 to his winnings.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Choo Choo Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 16-18 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Cherokee in Jefferson City, Tennessee, hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. 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 April 30 through May 2 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.

MLF BIG-5

Drew Benton Wins Saturday, Kyle Welcher Wins Sunday at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Lake Eufaula

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 24, 2020
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EUFAULA, Ala. (June 23, 2020) – It was a double-header for weekend bass anglers this past weekend in Eufaula with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Lake Eufaula 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.

Pro Drew Benton of Blakely, Georgia, brought a three-bass limit to the scale totaling 17 pounds, 8 ounces to win Saturday’s event and earn $6,473, while pro Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Alabama, brought in three bass weighing 16 pounds, 3 ounces on Sunday to earn the win and the day’s top prize of $5,498.

“These trophies are a hard to get,” said Benton, who competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series. “The BFL tournaments are stacked fields with a ton of locals. I’m new to this area, but I got my start on Lake Seminole and Lake Eufaula so to get to see everybody that I used to fish against back in the day and come out of here with a win is truly a blessing.”

Benton said that during his practice he noticed a lot of mayflies hatching, so he decided to take advantage of that during the tournament. He started up the river throwing a frog and a Bagley Knocker B topwater bait.

“I caught one really big one on topwater, then as the day went on we went down the lake towards the dam and I fished ledges,” Benton said. “I isolated the schools with my Lowrance LiveSight and caught them all on a Nichols Mini Magnum Spoon.

“If this had been a five-fish tournament, we would have been in the 24- to 25-pound range to win, but I appreciate that FLW is taking care of our resources in determining these three fish events,” Benton went on to say.

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

1^st: Drew Benton of Blakely, Ga., three bass, 17-8, $6,473

1^st: Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., three bass, 17-4, $2,381

3^rd: Kevin Black of Cumming, Ga., three bass, 14-15, $1,585

4^th: Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala., three bass, 14-8, $1,111

5^th: Brad Davis of Hoschton, Ga., three bass, 14-0, $953

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

Benton brought a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass to the scale to add Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $710 to his winnings.

Thom Dickson of Cartersville, Georgia, won the Co-angler Division and $2,561 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 15 pounds even.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

1^st: Thom Dickson of Cartersville, Ga., three bass, 15-0, $2,561

2^nd: Andrew Nickeson of Valdosta, Ga., three bass, 11-4, $1,118

3^rd: William Mercer of Cumming, Ga., three bass, 10-14, $745

4^th: Luke Cocke of Valdosta, Ga., three bass, 10-9, $522

5^th: Wesley Bennett of Monroe, Ga., three bass, 9-15, $447

Dickson also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces, to add the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $325 to his final payout.

On Sunday, winning boater pro Kyle Welcher said that he caught all of his fish on a topwater frog.

“On Sunday I decided to commit to the shallow bite all day and try to stay around bream beds, mayflies and the bigger fish that were up shallow,” the Alabama pro said. “I hit 50 to 60 spots, fishing from Cowikee all the way to the Dam and back. Everything that I saw that looked good, I’d pull over and fish it. I caught around 12 to 13 keepers throughout the day.

“The key was staying around the bait,” Welcher continued. “Every fish that I caught came on a frog. The water in the lake is falling a little bit each day, so I targeted shallow water, but it was deeper shallow water, if that makes sense.

“It feels good to get the win,” Welcher went on to say. “I’ve been fishing these BFL events for a while, so I’m glad I finally got one.”

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

1^st: Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., three bass, 16-3, $5,498

2^nd: Austin Lang of Kinsey, Ala., three bass, 13-10, $2,249

3^rd: Michael Conley of Bainbridge, Ga., three bass, 13-0, $1,498

4^th: Jim Murray Jr. of Leesburg, Ga., three bass, 12-10, $1,050

5^th: Ethan Greene of Eufaula, Ala., three bass, 12-9, $862

5^th: Todd Classon of Camilla, Ala., three bass, 12-9, $862

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

Steven Hunt of Lakeland, Florida, brought a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $645.

Scott Montgomery of Eufaula, Alabama, was Sunday’s 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.

Brian Davis of Leesburg, Georgia, won the Co-angler Division and $2,140 Sunday after catching a three-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

1^st: Brian Davis of Leesburg, Ga., three bass, 11-14, $2,140

2^nd: Jeff Cook of Columbus, Ga., three bass, 11-7, $1,070

3^rd: Kiwanas Andrews of Atlanta, Ga., three bass, 11-4, $712

4^th: Blake Layfield of Sparks, Ga., three bass, 11-2, $499

5^th: Skip Jackson of Eufaula, Ala., three bass, 11-1, $410

5^th: Chris Davies of Griffin, Ga., three bass, 11-1, $712

Davies caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $302.

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

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Bulldog Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 16-18 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Cherokee in Jefferson City, Tennessee, hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. 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 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.

BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

Huge Bag Lifts Jones To Bassmaster Central Open Win On Arkansas River

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 20, 2020
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MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Chris Jones knew he had his work cut out for him, but he stuck to what he knows best and overcame a significant deficit to win the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 13 ounces.

Starting Championship Saturday in eighth place, Jones’ biggest decision was whether to stay local or make the long run downriver to the Kerr Lake Pool. The latter option requires locking, which greatly diminishes a competitor’s fishing time, but this fertile reservoir’s renowned fish population often justifies the sacrifice.

After drawing the last flight on Day 1, the pro from Bokoshe, Okla., fished Kerr and placed 17th with 12-10. The next day’s reversed checkout order gave him a shorter day, so he stayed in local waters and secured a final-round spot after adding 11-3.

Championship Saturday allowed him a longer fishing day, so he returned to Kerr and locked up the win by adding a 19-pound limit — the tournament’s second-largest behind Keith Poche’s 19-5 on Day 2.

“I knew the wind was going to blow today, I knew a front was coming and I knew there was a chance to catch a giant bag [in Kerr] and I just wanted that chance,” said Jones, who earned $45,300. “I knew I was 4 pounds behind [Day 2 leader] Dale Hightower, so I knew I had to go.

“I really should have [weighed in] 24 to 25 pounds. I weighed two little fish today, but I broke my rod on a big one and lost her and had another one tied up in some grass that came off. But it was just one of those magical days. Things have to go right for you to win and it happened today.”

Although he weighed a couple of fish on a YUM Bad Mamma that he Texas-rigged on a 4/0 Owner Beast hook with a 1/4-ounce weight, Jones did most of his work with a prototype Booyah swim jig set for release in July. Targeting water willow, he fished the 3/8-ounce black/blue bait with a 3.25-inch YUM Craw Chunk trailer in black neon.

“I did what I’ve always learned to do on this river — swim a jig, swim it some more and whenever they aren’t biting, you swim it some more,” Jones said. “I had my trolling motor on 70 or 80 and we just went.”

After two days of mostly sunny conditions, Championship Saturday brought dim, overcast conditions, which favored Jones’ game plan. While fish tend to tuck into cover in brighter conditions, they’re more active throughout the low light periods.

“I’ve been waiting on this cloud cover to get here for two days and it finally showed up,” Jones said.

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., finished second with 42-7. Garrett finished 6 ounces short of the win after self-reporting a rules violation. After catching his sixth fish, he continued fishing without culling. Tournament rules stipulate that an angler cannot continue fishing with more than five fish in the livewell.

The gaff resulted in a 2-pound penalty.

“I made a mistake, but I could not have asked for a better day,” Garrett said of his strongest performance this week. “Today, I was either going to go to Kerr and swim a jig in grass or stay [local] and try to catch release fish. I fished for about an hour and a half and hit a magic stretch where all those fish had pulled up.

“All my fish this week came on a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Bug with a 3/8- or a 1/2-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten weight. Out here in the clear water, I was throwing green pumpkin and in Spaniard Creek, I was throwing black/blue. I got good bites and got a lot of bites.”

Hightower added 13-12 to his previous weights of 13-1 and 15-0 and finished with 41-13. Foregoing the run to Kerr in favor of maximum fishing time, the Bassmaster Elite pro from Mannford, Okla., fished about half a mile from takeoff and meticulously worked shallow wood cover with a 7-inch YUM blue fleck worm with a 1/4-ounce Wicked Weights sinker and a Sixgill straight-shank hook.

“I just fished back and forth, up and down stretches, throwing at laydowns,” Hightower said. “I had a little flurry on the spot I fished yesterday, but they just seemed to all be the same size — little cookie-cutters. But I moved around a little bit and picked up a couple of good fish later in the day after I moved across the river.”

Scott Pellegrin of Chippewa Falls, Wisc., won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with his 5-13 largemouth, which he caught on Day 2.

William Young of Livingston, Texas, won the co-angler division with 21-6. He caught his winning fish on a Texas-rigged green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hog with the tails dyed chartreuse.

“I flipped every piece of wood I could get to and capitalized on my bites,” Young said. “My boater and I caught fish from 6 inches of water to 2 feet. I caught more fish today than the whole time I’ve been here. It was a great day.”

Young also won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award among co-anglers with a 5-2 largemouth, which he caught in the final round.

The event is hosted by Visit Muskogee and Three Forks Harbor.

Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events Uncategorized

Major League Fishing Moves Stage Five from Lake Champlain

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 16, 2020
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2020 (Tulsa, Okla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Bass Pro Tour Stage Five presented by Covercraft will not take place on Lake Champlain as previously announced. Earlier today Vermont Governor Phil Scott amended and reinstated Executive Order 01-20, which states that visitors must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Due to previously scheduled events, MLF pros and League staff cannot accommodate that order and will move the July event.

Subject to a successful connectivity survey to support SCORETRACKER® and MLFNOW!production, MLF will move final Stage of the 2020 Bass Pro Tour to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The dates remain the same, July 10-15, 2020. Exact fisheries will be shared with competitors as determined by the Tournament Director and MLF Production teams based on the pending site survey.

“While we are disappointed that we cannot have the final Stage of the 2020 Bass Pro Tour on Lake Champlain as originally planned, we understand the situation and look forward to the opportunity to showcase Vermont in the future.” said Michael Mulone, Major League Fishing Sr. Director of Events. “We appreciate Destination Sturgeon Bay helping us pull together an outstanding event under an abbreviated timeline.”

MLF BIG-5

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

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 15, 2020
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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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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.

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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.

MLF BIG-5

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

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 15, 2020
No Comments on 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.

Boater 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:

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

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

4^th: 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.

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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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.

On 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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

5^th: 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.

MLF BIG-5

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

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 15, 2020
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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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10^th: 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.

MLF BIG-5

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

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 15, 2020
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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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10^th: 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.

MLF BIG-5

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

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date June 15, 2020
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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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10^th: 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10^th: 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.