Month: October 2020

Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events

Takahiro Omori Wins Day 3 Elimination Round at General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 26, 2020
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Japanese pro Catches Two-Day total of 98 Pounds, 7 Ounces to Win Elimination Round, Joins Montgomery, Lee and Ashley in Sudden Death Round

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Pro Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, caught 55 largemouth totaling 84 pounds, 3 ounces, on Lake Pokegama to win the Elimination Round 1 at the General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Omori’s two-day cumulative total of 63 bass for 98-7 advanced the Japanese pro to the Sudden Death Round of competition in the six-day championship tournament, airing on Discovery, that showcases 16 of the best bass anglers from around the world competing for a top prize of $100,000.

Blacksburg, South Carolina’s Andy Montgomery was the first angler to advance into the Sudden Death Round after his victory in the day 1 Shotgun Round. He is now joined by Omori, along with pros Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama (57 bass, 96-3) and Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina (51 bass, 88-13) as the four anglers advancing from Group 1. The Sudden Death Round episode is set to premiere in two weeks, Nov. 7.

“In the morning we had a lot of wind and rain, and it was cold. I really didn’t expect the fish to bite that good,” said Omori, who has career earnings of more than $2.7 million. “I went to my first spot and they started biting, right away. I caught something like 47 pounds in the first period – the most fish I’ve ever caught in a single period.

“After my first day, I was way down in the standings. But, after that first period, I realized I had a good chance to make it in to the top three,” Omori continued. “So, I stayed in that one general area – in the back end of a creek – for all three periods.”

Omori said that his key bait throughout the day was a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer, with a Z-Man RaZor ShadZ trailer (green-pumpkin), estimating that 90% of his fish came on that.

“The lake we were on today, Lake Pokegama, was amazing,” Omori said. “The lake and the conditions fit my fishing style really good, so I was really happy that they chose this lake.”

Looking ahead to the Sudden Death Round, Omori said that he will be ready to go, no matter what fishery tournament officials select as competition waters.

“I just focus on my fishing,” Omori said. “Usually, I’m a largemouth guy. I’m not saying that I hate smallmouth, but I definitely prefer to target largemouth. So, hopefully for the Sudden Death, we fish a lake with a bunch of largemouth. I’ll have both setups rigged up, and do whatever it takes.”

The four anglers advancing to the Sudden Death Round from (Group 1) are:

                1^st:          Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., 19 bass, 42-6 *Shotgun Round 1 Winner*
                2^nd:         Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, 63 bass, 98-7 *Elimination Round Winner*
                3^rd:          Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., 57 bass, 96-3
                4^th:          Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., 51 bass, 88-13

Eliminated from competition in the 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops were:

                5^th:          Greg Vinson of Wetumpka, Ala., 42 bass, 83-3
                6^th:          Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., 27 bass, 65-15
                7^th:          Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., 35 bass, 62-4
                8^th:          Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., 22 bass, 39-2

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEWEST GEAR FROM ICAST

Complete results and photos from the day can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Martens caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a 4-pound, 7-ounce smallmouth that came offshore on a crankbait.

Overall, there were 221 bass weighing 368 pounds, 5 ounces caught by the seven pros on the day three Elimination Round of competition on Lake Pokegama.

The 2020 Major League Fishing General Tire World Championship in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is hosted by Visit Grand Rapids.

In MLF General Tire World Championship competition, the full field of 16 pro anglers is split into two groups of eight – Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 competed in a Shotgun Round on day one, Group 2 on day two, with the winners of each day advancing directly to the Sudden Death Round. The remaining seven anglers from each group carried their total weight on to the Elimination Round. The three anglers from each group’s Elimination Round with the highest cumulative two-day weight will advance to the Sudden Death Round – eight anglers total.

During the Sudden Death round, the eight anglers that advanced from the Shotgun and Elimination Rounds compete to become one of the first six to reach a qualifying weight – determined by MLF officials. The top six anglers then advance to the final Championship Round – where weights are zeroed and the highest total weight at the end of competition wins and will be declared World Champion.

Next week’s episode of the General Tire World Championship will feature Group 2 competing in their Elimination Round – Edwin Evers, Jared Lintner, Michael Neal, Jacob Powroznik, Mark Rose, Jeff Sprague and Jacob Wheeler – competing on Lake Wabana.

The General Tire World Championship, hosted by Visit Grand Rapids, will air on the Discovery Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday morning debuting on Oct. 10, 2020, and running through Nov. 14, airing from 7 to 9 a.m. EDT. The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.

The National Angler

The Most Advanced Fishing Scale, Ruler, and App – Spend More Time Fishing

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 22, 2020
No Comments on The Most Advanced Fishing Scale, Ruler, and App – Spend More Time Fishing

The Most Advanced Fishing Scale, Ruler, and App – Spend More Time Fishing

We have all seen some really cool tools come to the fishing market. Some of those are hits and others are duds. Some of these just come up short in the features and some don’t perform. I had a new scale I was so excited about a few years ago. Took it out for the first time and “dead.” I had just put brand new and batteries had already died. It was missing some features and was clumsy to use. There is nothing worse than trying to hang a plastic clip on a metal hook. Now we finally have a tool that will weigh, measure, and record your catch with one device. The new HALASZ scale is a must for every angler!

One thing that really struck me on this tool is the technology. The ability to measure and weigh a fish, record it, and automatically update the app is amazing. When you pull the ruler out, it automatically knows how far the ruler has come out of the device to measure your catch. You can also lay the HALASZ fish key tag next to the fish and snap a picture. The app already know how long the key tag is, and can measure your catch in the picture automatically!!! This to me is an amazing feature.

This article is an just an introduction to one of my newest tools and looking forward to using this more often. Up front this scale was provided to me from HALASZ fishing to provide you a review. I full review is coming in the near future, as I’m having a problem with dinks lately. I’m really excited about what the HALASZ team has put together, and let me share with you what I’m most excited about. Also, the kickstarter program is still going, and please go take a look at what they are offering. The kickstarter is a great opportunity to get your hands on this great tool

TOP FEATURES

Boca Style Hand Grip

No more fumbling around with a hook or an extra attachment trying to weigh your fish.

Social App

After chatching a fish to meausre the weight and the length at the same time. Also share with all your freinds.

Integrated Ruler/Integrated Picture Ruler

Now you have two options of measuring the length of your catch. Plus it does it automatically!!

USB Charging

No more batteries and be confident this will be ready when you hit the water.

 5/5

Endorsed by Scott Martin

WELL BUILT AND THE SMARTEST FISH SCALE I HAVE EVER SEEN

Scott Martin, BASSASTER Elite Series Angler

DON'T MISS OUT ON A GREAT OPPORTUNITY! GO OVER AND CHECK OUT THE HALASZ KICKSTARER GOING ON NOW!

If you are still not convinced, check out these YouTube reviews!

AGAIN, DON'T MISS OUT ON A GREAT OPPORTUNITY! GO OVER AND CHECK OUT THE HALASZ KICKSTARER GOING ON NOW!

Semper Fish!

Joe, The National Angler

Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events

Meyer Coasts to Victory after Shattering Records on Day 2 Shotgun Round at General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Oct. 19, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) pro Cody Meyer of Auburn, California, had a pretty special day on Lake Pokegama that premiered Saturday morning on Discovery. The California pro caught 68 largemouth bass weighing 123 pounds, 12 ounces to win Shotgun Round 2 of competition at the General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Meyer now advances directly into the Sudden Death Round of competition in the six-day championship tournament that showcases 16 of the best bass anglers from around the world competing for a top prize of $100,000.

Meyer’s final tally of 68 bass weighing 123-12 smashed previous MLF Cup records – it was the most fish caught in a single day of competition, and also the largest single-day weight in MLF Cup history.

In the post-game press conference, Meyer said it was one of the most special days in his career.

“I really wasn’t expecting to have that kind of a day,” Meyer said. “It ended up being one of the best days that I have ever had in my career, and the most fun that I’ve had fishing in a long time. To come out on top, with the anglers that were in this group, is really special. It was such an awesome day – all day long I felt like I could call my shot.”

Meyer found most of his success fishing main-lake docks with every fish he caught coming on a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko (green-pumpkin and purple). He fished it on a 7-foot, 4-inch Daiwa Tatula Elite rod paired with a Daiwa Exist reel, using 10-pound braided line with a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader.

“I really though someone was going to win the day by flipping, but the docks were so loaded with fish. Every single dock had 2, 3, 4, even five fish on them. I caught 68 fish, which was incredible. But, I also lost around a dozen. It was by far the most fish and the most weight I have every caught in any MLF event.

“The key that I figured out was the sand,” Meyer continued. “The docks had to be really shallow, with deep water nearby. The fish got shallower and shallower as the day progressed, and if the docks were on sand there was fish on every single one of them.”

With his win, Meyer now advances directly into the Sudden Death Round, a day that many anglers call the most stressful day of fishing they experience.

“I’m definitely confident on the fisheries up here in Minnesota, and I’m having a lot of fun,” Meyer said. “But now I need to get ready for Sudden Death, which is 100% the most stressful day that you can have in bass fishing. There is never any down time, and you have to catch them fast. I went through eight or nine bags of baits today, and I’m definitely going to need to find some more before we fish Sudden Death.”

The standings after Saturday’s airing of the Day Two Shotgun Round (Group 2) are:

                1^st:          Cody Meyer of Auburn, Calif., 68 bass, 123-12
                2^nd:         Jeff Sprague of Point, Texas, 67 bass, 105-4
                3^rd:         Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va., 47 bass, 94-13
                4^th:         Mark Rose of Wynne, Ark., 52 bass, 84-0
                5^th:         Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande, Calif., 48 bass, 76-11
                6^th:         Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., 45 bass, 72-14
                7^th:         Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 42 bass, 70-4
                8^th:         Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 35 bass, 54-14

Complete results and photos from the day can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEWEST GEAR FROM ICAST

Lintner caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a 4-pound, 5-ounce largemouth that bit a jig on the docks.

Overall, there were 404 bass weighing 1,171 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the eight pros on day two of competition on Lake Pokegama.

The 2020 Major League Fishing General Tire World Championship in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is hosted by Visit Grand Rapids.

In MLF General Tire World Championship competition, the full field of 16 pro anglers is split into two groups of eight – Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 competed in a Shotgun Round on day one, Group 2 on day two, with the winners of each day advancing directly to the Sudden Death Round. Now, the remaining seven anglers from each group carry their total weight on to the Elimination Round. The three anglers from each group’s Elimination Round with the highest cumulative two-day weight will advance to the Sudden Death Round – eight anglers total.

Next week’s episode of the General Tire World Championship will feature Group 1 competing in their Elimination Round – Casey Ashley, Brent Ehrler, Bobby Lane, Jordan Lee, Aaron Martens, Takahiro Omori and Greg Vinson – competing on Lake Pokegama.

The General Tire World Championship, hosted by Visit Grand Rapids, will air on the Discovery Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday morning starting Oct. 10, 2020, and running through Nov. 14, airing from 7 to 9 a.m. EDT. The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.

About Major League Fishing
Founded in 2011, Major League Fishing (MLF) brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms on Outdoor Channel, Discovery, CBS, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, Sportsman Channel, and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). According to Nielsen ratings, Major League Fishing remains the number one series on Outdoor Channel for five years and MLF premiered as the number one outdoor show in their time slot on Discovery in 2019.

In 2019 MLF acquired FLW, which expands their portfolio to include the world’s largest grassroots-fishing organization, including the strongest five-biggest-fish format professional bass fishing tour, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, as well as the Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine, Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI, and High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing.

# # #

MLF BIG-5

Louisiana’s Johnson Wins Toyota Series Event on Sam Rayburn

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 19, 2020
No Comments on Louisiana’s Johnson Wins Toyota Series Event on Sam Rayburn

BROOKELAND, Texas (Oct. 19, 2020) – Aaron Johnson of Shreveport, Louisiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at the Sam Rayburn Reservoir tournament in Brookeland, Texas. Johnson’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 54-14 earned him the win by an 11-ounce margin over second-place angler Blake Schroeder of Whitehouse, Texas, and earned Johnson the top payout of $31,751 in the third and final tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Southwestern Division.

Johnson said he won the tournament fishing entirely around shallow hydrilla with a modified square-bill crankbait. Hanging in the mid-lake for the most part, in 3 to 6 feet, he targeted clumpier sections of the grass.

“Typically, I would run it over the top or over the side,” said Johnson of his presentation. “The bait comes through pretty good, so I’ll run it over the top and to the side, pop it, stop it, twitch it, just the normal erratic stuff to try to get a reaction. There were times when I would twitch it over a clump, and then reel it fast when I got it over the other side of the clump. Every day I had probably 10 that would try to get it and just wouldn’t get it, but that’s just part of it.”

Fishing a discontinued bait that he modified with a custom color scheme, a red treble hook on the front and a filed-down bill, Johnson knew he had a good thing going.

“I have a lot of confidence in that bait,” said Johnson. “I won a two-day tournament a few years ago here with it and I know what it will do if you stay with it, so I never put it down. I threw a ChatterBait maybe 10 times and then I cut it off and put on a crankbait. I just had to stick with it.”

Johnson said he started mid-lake on days one and two, then ran more isolated places that brought him all the way north of the TX-147 bridge. He said the presence or lack of wind was key for him every day.

“Today it blew so hard, and they were biting really good in one of my main places, so I never left,” said Johnson. “Every other day, I would run and hit a couple of small patches here and there, and yesterday I did that and caught my biggest fish out of a little clump. Today, I never left, and at 2:10 I culled a 2-pounder with a 3½-pounder, and that’s what won the event.”

Johnson won a Bassmaster Open on Kentucky Lake in 2008, but this is his biggest win with FLW by far. Oddly enough, it comes after he literally zeroed in the recent Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Super Tournament on Rayburn.

“I found these fish for the BFL, and I caught none of them,” said Johnson. “However, God has a plan, and this tournament worked out. It feels great – it’s been a little while since I’ve been in the winner’s seat – so it’s good to be back. I’m very fortunate and very grateful – these are hard to win.”

The top 10 pros on the Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:

1^st: Aaron Johnson of Shreveport, La., 15 bass, 54-14, $31,751

2^nd: Blake Schroeder of Whitehouse, Texas, 15 bass, 54-3, $12,303

3^rd: Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, La., 15 bass, 45-15, $9,525

4^th: Chris McCall of Palmer, Texas, 15 bass, 44-13, $7,938

5^th: Stephen Johnston of Hemphill, Texas, 15 bass, 42-1, $7,144

6^th: Tim Reneau of Richland Springs, Texas, 15 bass, 41-15, $6,350

7^th: Kenneth Cates of Zavalla, Texas, 15 bass, 41-12, $5,556

8^th: Todd Castledine of Nacogdoches, Texas, 15 bass, 41-4, $4,763

9^th: Cole Moore of Anacoco, La., 14 bass, 40-4, $4,969

10^th: Justin O’Brian Cooper of Zwolle, La., 15 bass, 39-4, $3,175

A complete list of results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEWEST GEAR FROM ICAST

Moore took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Anthony Templeton of Beckville, Texas won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 28 pounds, 3 ounces. Templeton took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

The top 10 co-anglers on the Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:

1^st: Anthony Templeton of Beckville, Texas, 12 bass, 28-3, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp

outboard

2^nd: Micheal Sharp of Argyle, Texas, 10 bass, 24-14, $4,057

3^rd: Todd Childs of Waxahachie, Texas, seven bass, 23-2, $3,314

4^th: Grayson Honeycutt of Temple, Texas, 12 bass, 21-5, $2,840

5^th: Kayden Tanner of Millsap, Texas, 10 bass, 20-15, $2,434

6^th: David Keith of Haughton, La., 10 bass, 20-13, $2,029

7^th: Donny Davis of Livingston, La., 10 bass, 20-12, $1,623

8^th: Timothy Cooper of Pelican, La., 10 bass, 19-15, $1,420

9^th: Aaron Freeman of Montgomery, Texas, 10 bass, 18-2, $1,217

10^th: Randy Pewthers of Pearland, Texas, seven bass, 16-6, $1,014

The Toyota Series at the Sam Rayburn Reservoir was hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce. It was the third of three regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Southwestern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on Oct. 29-31 with the Toyota Series at Dale Hollow Lake in Monroe, Tennessee. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.

The 2020 Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.

BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

Livesay Wins First Bassmaster Elite Series Title On Chickamauga Lake

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 19, 2020
No Comments on Livesay Wins First Bassmaster Elite Series Title On Chickamauga Lake

DAYTON, Tenn. — Lee Livesay had options, but he committed to a singular game plan based on patience and execution to win the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake with a four-day total of 58 pounds, 2 ounces.

Livesay of Longview, Texas, turned in daily limits of 13-0, 13-3, 16-13 and 15-2. Notching his first career victory, the second-year Elite Series pro won the top prize of $100,000.

On Day 1, three of the fish that made up his 10th-place sack ate a football-head jig — one on a Hiwassee River bluff and two by the Highway 60 Bridge. He caught the other two by fishing a Scum Frog Launch Frog over main-lake grass mats, a technique that accounted for each of his bass the final three days.

“I stayed in between the Dayton Boat Dock and the Highway 60 Bridge the whole time (Days 2-4),” Livesay said. “It was so tough, you had to keep your bait in the water the whole time. That area is where I had the most bites.

“The farther south you went, the more fishing pressure you got; the farther upriver, the more pressure you got. I had a little zone where I was comfortable. Right where that river comes into the lake, that’s where you have the most nutrients, the most fish and you have current flow. That’s where I decided to set up.”

Livesay was particular about the types of mats he fished, with seclusion and current flow topping his criteria. Also, venturing far into the mats’ shallowest reaches allowed him to target bass that see little to no fishing pressure.

“Quiet was the deal for me, so I was push-poling into the area with no trolling motor noise,” he said. “Also, there’s a lot of tiny shad around the outer edges of the mats, but the shallower you got, the fewer shad you’d have. They were eating bream about the size of my frog.”

Alternating between black, white and yellow frogs, Livesay added tungsten weights to the baits to improve casting distance and create attention-getting noise. Most importantly, the additional weight created a deeper impression in the mats and made the frogs easier for fish to track.

“I was making long casts and working my bait fast,” he said. “I’d let it sit for (a few seconds) to let the fish get comfortable, but then I’d start working it fast again. When I’d move it again, I’d want them to be looking for it. It’s all reaction.”

On Championship Monday, Livesay said he knew the afternoon bite would offer his best opportunities, as increasing sunlight predictably positions fish under mats. After catching his first keeper around 9:50 a.m., he steadily compiled a solid limit of 2- to 2 3/4-pounders (estimated weights) before finding one that went about 4 pounds at 1:36. A late-day cull secured his winning weight.

He also kept a swimbait on his deck for fish that he saw busting shad on the edges of mats but ended up catching all of his fish on the frog.

Visibly overcome with emotion as B.A.S.S. emcee Dave Mercer announced his victory, Livesay summarized his tears: “I’ve been wanting this my whole life. That’s 35 years of dreaming and a lot of hard work.”

Mike Huff of Corbin, Ky., finished second with 56-6. Mounting an impressive comeback effort, Huff placed 50th on Day 1 after finding only three keepers for 6-12. Catching a Day 2 limit of 12-3 moved him into 33rd and adding the event’s second-heaviest bag — 19-1 — on Day 3 pushed him up to third. His Championship Monday limit weighed 18-6.

Huff caught his fish on bluffs with a 3/8-ounce Cumberland Pro Casting Jig with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Creature Hawg trailer. He turned in the event’s most exciting performance Monday thanks to a 7-13 largemouth that dramatically changed his outcome.

“I was targeting bluffs with laydowns and current breaks,” Huff said. “That was key; they were sitting right behind those laydowns.”

Jake Whitaker of Fairview, N.C., stuck with his comfort zone, fished a unique pattern and finished third with 49-0. Committing to a marina, he dialed in a few particular boat slips that held a lot of bait and a dependable supply of bass.

Making long skips into the slips with a 2.8-inch Keitech swimbait on a 1/8-ounce swimbait head, Whitaker turned in daily limits of 11-2, 14-3, 11-14 and 11-13.

“After the second day of practice, I hadn’t caught anything, and I said, ‘I gotta do something that I know how to do just to catch a few fish,’” he said. “The second day of practice, I went in that marina and they started schooling.

“I pulled out a fluke, caught two keepers and I said, ‘Okay, there are some keepers in here. But for that place to last for four days, that’s just the good Lord blessing me.’”

Huff’s 7-13 secured Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors.

Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Chad Pipkens of DeWitt, Mich., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., remains in the lead for the Bassmaster Angler of the Year with 623 points, while Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minn., follows in second with 618. Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, is third with 607, followed by Whitaker with 594 and Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., with 592.

The tournament was hosted by the Rhea County Economic Development & Tourism Council.

2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Abu Garcia,Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Talon, Yamaha

2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops,Carhartt, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Mossy Oak Fishing, Rapala

2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partners: AFTCO, Huk

2020 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite At Chickamauga Lake Local Host: Rhea County Economic Development & Tourism Council

MLF BIG-5

Georgia’s Morrow Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League event on Lake Hartwell

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 13, 2020
No Comments on Georgia’s Morrow Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League event on Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. (Oct. 13, 2020) Boater Troy Morrow of Eastanollee, Georgia, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 32 pounds even, to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Savannah River Division Super-Tournament at Lake Hartwell presented by Fish-Intel. For his victory, Morrow earned $6,415.

I didn’t start catching fish until after 9 a.m, but I had found a spot in practice with some big ones on a timber line,” said Morrow. “I broke a big one off yesterday that would have really helped but I went back today and they were schooling so I caught them all on top.”

Morrow comes from a recent Toyota Series win on Lake Norman, only a few short weeks ago.

“On Hartwell, it all depends on what bait the fish are currently eating,” Morrow continued. “These were eating small fish so I threw small topwater baits. Normally if you can find them eating on the bluebacks, you go with pencil poppers, big sammies and your bigger walking baits.”

Morrow said if he had to name his key bait it would be the Zoom Shakey Head Worm in green-pumpkin color.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

1^st: Troy Morrow of Eastonellee, Ga.,10 bass, 32-0, $6,415

2^nd: Derek Lehtonen of Woodruff, S.C., 10 bass, 28-4, $3,708

3^rd: Chris Nelson of Social Circle, Ga., 10 bass, 27-4, $2,141

4^th: Jayme Rampey of Liberty, S.C., 10 bass, 26-11, $1,497

5^th: Tony Holliday of Piedmont, S.C., 10 bass, 25-5, $1,283

6^th: Justin Singleton of Myrtle Beach, S.C., 10 bass, 24-12, $1,376

7^th: Lane Wright of Cumming, Ga., 10 bass, 24-6, $1,069

8^th: Bo Price of Seneca, S.C., 10 bass, 23-12, $962

9^th: Trent Palmer of Cumming, Ga., 10 bass, 23-1, $855

10^th: Collin Smith of Honea Path, S.C., 10 bass, 21-11, $748

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Jeremy Strong of Elberton, Georgia earned the day’s $907 Boater Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass.

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEWEST GEAR FROM ICAST

Lehtonen 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.

Nathan McClure of Hiawassee, Georgia earned the win in the Co-angler Division Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces. McClure earned $3,181 for his victory.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

1^st: Nathan McClure of Hiawassee, Ga., 10 bass, 19-6, $3,181

2^nd: Adam Tanner of Cleveland, Ga., 10 bass, 18-10, $1,591

3^rd: Wendell Grantham of Athens, Ga., 10 bass, 17-13, $1,061

4^th: Christopher Chavis of Guyton, Ga., nine bass, 17-5, $742

5^th: Blake Wilson of Benton, Ark., 10 bass, 17-3, $636

6^th: Wayne Hancock of Cumming, Ga., 10 bass, 16-15, $583

7^th: Cody Coker of Comer, Ga., eight bass, 15-13, $530

8^th: Brian Anthony of Pickens, S.C., 10 bass, 15-9, $677

9^th: Gary Haraguchi of Phoenix, Ariz., nine bass, 15-7, $424

10^th: Kevin Henderson of Honea Path, S.C., seven bass, 15-3, $371

Collin Cribb of Sumter, South Carolina, earned the event’s Co-angler Big Bass Award of $450 with a fish weighing in at 3 pounds, 7 ounces

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell was hosted by the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau and was the fifth and final qualifying event in the 2020 Savannah River Division.

Now the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Savannah River Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to the Oct. 22-24 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, hosted by Gainesville Convention and Visitors Bureau. 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.

MLF BIG-5

Virginia’s Daves Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on James River

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 13, 2020
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HENRICO, Va. (Oct. 12, 2020) Pro Chris Daves of Spring Grove, Virginia, brought a three-day total of 15 bass to the scale weighing 50 pounds, 1 ounces to win the no-entry fee Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship on the James River. For his victory, Daves earned $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and automatic entry into the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship, June 3-5, at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee.

“We had extremely low tides the past few days, which put the fish off the bank and right where I like to fish,” said Daves, regarding the key to his victory.

“I fished drops on the lower end of James in the mouth of the Chickahominy River, at a depth of 4 to 5 feet, with a chartreuse-colored square-bill crankbait,” continued Daves. “I also caught several key fish on a ribbontail worm.”

Daves said he grew up fishing this river and Wards Creek.

“Fishing on your home lake, you normally get the local jinx, but this time it worked out for me, so it feels good,” said Daves.

The top six boaters that qualified for 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1^st: Chris Daves of Spring Grove, Va., 15 bass, 50-1, $60,000

2^nd: Jason Burger of Bridgeton, N.J., 15 bass, 45-11, $10,000

3^rd: Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C., 15 bass, 44-6, $5,200

4^th: Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Va., 15 bass, 44-4, $3,000

5^th: Jason Thomas of Lexington, N.C., 15 bass, 43-10, $2,500

6^th: Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, N.C., 15 bass, 43-9, $1,800

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

7^th: Chris Dover of Blacksburg, S.C., 15 bass, 41-11, $1,600

8^th: Jason Barnes of Concord, N.C., 15 bass, 41-9, $1,400

9^th: Cole Huskins of Gastonia, N.C., 15 bass, 40-9, $1,200

10^th: Steve Colgin of Lanexa, Va., 15 bass, 40-1, $1,000

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Thomas 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.

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Moo Bae of West Friendship, Maryland, weighed in 15 bass over three days totaling 35 pounds, 5 ounces to win the top co-angler prize package of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six co-anglers that qualified for the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1^st: Moo Bae of West Friendship, Md., 15 bass, 35-5, $50,000, including Phoenix 819 Pro boat w/200-hp outboard

2^nd: David Mills of Wirtz, Va., 15 bass, 33-11, $5,000

3^rd: Rod Mackinnon of Middletown, N.Y., 14 bass, 30-3, $2,500

4^th: Travis Garrett of Charlottesville, Va., 13 bass, 30-3, $1,500

5^th: Terri Davis of Chilhowie, Va., 15 bass, 27-15, $1,000

6^th: Robert Wedding of Welcome, Md., 11 bass, 25-12, $1,150

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

7^th: Cody Lewis of Ooltewah, Tenn., nine bass, 22-2, $800

8^th: Nick Coker of Knoxville, Tenn., 13 bass, 21-12, $700

9^th: Bradley Smith of Cherryville, N.C. 14 bass, 21-3, $600

10^th: Gregory Chuhta of Germantown, Md., 12 bass, 20-11, $500

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship on the James River was hosted by Richmond Region Tourism. It featured the top pros and co-anglers from the North Carolina, Northeast, Shenandoah and Volunteer divisions.

The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held June 3-5 at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour.

MLF BIG-5

Tenn. Boggs Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 13, 2020
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DAYTON, Tenn. (Oct. 12, 2020) Boater Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tennessee, brought a three-day total of 15 bass to the scale weighing 40 pounds, 11 ounces to win the no-entry fee Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship at Lake Chickamauga. For his victory, Boggs earned $61,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and automatic entry into the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship, June 3-5, at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee.

“This is my first time in a long time to come out on top, and I’ve been trying hard,” said Boggs. “It’s been a grind with the drop in water levels, so I’m super excited with what I weighed in today.”

Boggs said he found his winning fish in the middle part of the lake, fishing shallow, throwing a swimbait, buzzbait and a squarebill crankbait.

“I was fishing water that hadn’t been fished and getting to places other people hadn’t been to – I think that made the biggest difference,” continued Boggs. “I’m so excited – this will be my third All-American tournament to compete in and I can’t wait,” said Boggs.

The top six boaters that qualified for 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1^st: Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tenn., 15 bass, 40-11, $61,000

2^nd: Blake Tomlin of Greenville, Ga., 13 bass, 37-9, $10,000

3^rd: Jason Nixon of Wetumpka, Ala., 13 bass, 37-2, $5,000

4^th: Brent Butler of Vonore, Tenn., 14 bass, 35-12, $3,000

5^th: Lloyd Pickett, Jr., of Bartlett, Tenn., 14 bass, 35-0, $2,000

6^th: Christopher Thomas of Birmingham, Ala., 14 bass, 34-7, $1,800

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

7^th: Jeff Cannon of Douglasville, Ga., 14 bass, 33-15, $1,600

8^th: Mike Quinlin of Mooresville, Ind., 14 bass, 33-2, $1,900

9^th: Vernon Lowe of Oneida, Tenn., 14 bass, 32-11, $1,200

10^th: David Wootton of Collierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-10, $1,000

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

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Quinlin 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.

Samuel Lemons of Vonore, Tennessee, weighed in 10 bass over three days totaling 32 pounds, 5 ounces to win the top co-angler prize package of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six co-anglers that qualified for the 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1^st: Samuel Lemons of Vonore, Tenn., 32-5, 10 bass, $50,000

2^nd: Brent Clark of Bowling Green, Ky., 11 bass, 21-4, $5,000

3^rd: Curtis Cline of Lafayette, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-1, $2,500

4^th: Keith Whipple of Iuka, Miss., eight bass, 18-8, $1,500

5^th: Allen Neal of Whitley City, Ky., seven bass, 17-13, $1,000

6^th: Michael Petras of Biloxi, Miss., seven bass, 17-11, $900

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

7^th: Dennis Taylor of Murray, Ky., eight bass, 15-10, $800

8^th: Nathan Martin of Golden, Miss., five bass, 15-0, $700

9^th: Jojo Walsh of Lyles, Tenn., four bass, 13-13, $600

10^th: Josh Allen of Salem, Ala., six bass, 13-6, $500

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga was hosted by the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council. It featured the top pros and co-anglers from the Bama (Alabama), LBL (Kentucky), Mississippi, and Mountain (Kentucky-Tennessee) divisions.

Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events

Montgomery Wins Day One Shotgun Round at General Tire World Championship on Discovery

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 12, 2020
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GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Oct. 12, 2020) – Pro Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, South Carolina, caught 19 bass totaling 42 pounds, 6 ounces to win the opening Shotgun Round of competition at the General Tire World Championship in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. For the win, Montgomery now advances directly into the Sudden Death Round of competition in the six-day championship bass tournament that showcases 16 of the best bass anglers from around the world competing for a top prize of $100,000.

The opening day of competition on Discovery showcased the eight competing anglers in Group 1 fishing on Northern Minnesota’s Lake Wabana. Montgomery had a big third-period rally, catching 10 bass for 23-12 in the final period to surpass Greg Vinson and Jordan Lee and earn the win by a narrow 1-pound, 4-ounce margin.

“For once, on a tournament day, everything played out just like I hoped it would,” Montgomery said in his post-game press conference. “I wanted to put the heat on the docks early, before others got a chance to fish them. I was able to do that and caught all of the largemouth that I could. I also knew coming into this that I was going to have to catch smallmouth somehow. I went a little while before I caught one, but once I finally did my confidence went through the roof because I caught it shallow, and it was a pattern that I could run across the lake.

“I mainly threw a lot of moving baits,” Montgomery continued. “I thought I’d maybe catch them deep on a drop-shot rig, but the wind took that away. So, I bounced back and forth throughout the day – from the docks out to the underwater islands, then back to the docks, then back to the islands. Timing was extremely important, and it was really good for me today.”

Montgomery said that he caught his largemouth on the docks with a Strike King Tour Grade Skipping Jig with a matching Rage Bug trailer. When fishing for smallmouth on the offshore islands, he threw a small Strike King Thunder Cricket vibrating jig and an unnamed swimbait.

“The third period was very important, and I felt like I had a really good gameplan,” Montgomery said. “I had the smallmouth pattern established, but I also had some docks in my mind that I had watched another competitor fish, but I felt like I could still catch some fish off of them. So, I re-fished those and caught a few key fish and then when they were done I didn’t try to force it – I went back offshore to the smallmouth.”

Montgomery now becomes the first angler to advance directly into the Sudden Death Round, a feat that he is proud of, but according to him there is still a lot of work left to be done.

“There is just something about this World Championship… I’ve fished a lot of big tournaments before. FLW Cups, Classics, I’ve fished them all. But there is something about this event, I just want to win it so badly. That is the only reason I’m here,” Montgomery went on to say.

The standings after Saturday’s airing of the Day One Shotgun Round (Group 1) are:

                1^st:          Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., 19 bass, 42-6
                2^nd:         Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., 23 bass, 41-2
                3^rd:         Greg Vinson of Wetumpka, Ala., 14 bass, 39-12
                4^th:         Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., 11 bass, 28-9
                5^th:         Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., seven bass, 14-11
                6^th:         Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, eight bass, 14-4
                7^th:         Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 13-7
                8^th:         Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 10-1

Complete results and photos from the day can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Montgomery also caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day, a 4-pound, 2-ounce largemouth.

Overall, there were 94 bass weighing 204 pounds, 4 ounces caught by the eight pros on day one of competition on Wabana Lake.

The 2020 Major League Fishing General Tire World Championship in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is hosted by Visit Grand Rapids.

In MLF General Tire World Championship competition, the full field of 16 pro anglers is split into two groups of eight – Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 competes in a Shotgun Round on day one, Group 2 on day two, with the winners of each day advancing directly to the Sudden Death Round. The remaining seven anglers from each group carry their total weight on to the Elimination Round competition. The three anglers from each group with the highest cumulative two-day weight will advance to the Sudden Death Round – eight anglers total.

Next week’s episode of the General Tire World Championship will feature Group 2 – Michael Neal, Edwin Evers, Jacob Wheeler, Mark Rose, Jeff Sprague, Jared Lintner, Cody Meyer and Jacob Powroznik – competing on Pokegama Lake.

BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

Big Final Day Lifts Palaniuk To Win In Bassmaster Elite At Santee Cooper

Post author By jcarrigan
Post date October 11, 2020
No Comments on Big Final Day Lifts Palaniuk To Win In Bassmaster Elite At Santee Cooper

CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Championships come down to decisions and execution — two things that Brandon Palaniuk mastered en route to amassing a four-day total of 72 pounds, 2 ounces for a dominant win at the Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes brought to you by the United States Marine Corps.

Notching his fifth Elite victory — his second in 2020 (the first at Lake Champlain) — Palaniuk earned a top prize of $100,000.

After leading Day 2, Palaniuk entered Championship Sunday in third place, just 1-3 behind Carl Jocumsen. On Sunday, the pro from Rathdrum, Idaho, added a limit of 22-11 to his previous weights of 21-1, 18-13 and 9-9 to edge Jocumsen.

“This one is so unexpected,” Palaniuk said. “Every single one I won before, I had a good practice and I knew that I would have a shot at the Top 10 and a shot at the win. This one came out of nowhere.”

Spending his tournament in Lake Marion, Palaniuk attributed his final-round success to a prelaunch decision to start in the mouth of the Potato Creek area. Having started there on Day 1, he had a feeling the area was ready to reward him again.

“I was sitting at the dock this morning and something told me to go try it,” Palaniuk said. “With the (warm) weather, the humidity, I felt like I could catch them on topwater, but when I got there, the water was dirty.

“I couldn’t get them to eat it, so I just picked up a 1/2-ounce bladed jig with a 4-inch white X-Zone Swammer. I had not caught a fish on this all week and I caught a 4-pounder and a 3 1/4-pounder.”

Palaniuk caught a lucky break that he exploited when he saw a big fish blow up just out of casting range. Idling toward the commotion, he spotted a brushpile he had not found earlier in the week.

“I tied up a drop shot and caught a giant (7-12) on 10-pound test,” Palaniuk said. “I caught my other limit fish on the drop shot, but I ended up culling them out later.”

Palaniuk’s drop-shot rig comprised a green pumpkin blue flake X-Zone Deception Worm rigged on a No. 1 VMC Finesse Neko Hook with a 1/4-ounce VMC teardrop weight.

Later in the day, Palaniuk returned to the Jack’s Creek area, which produced several of his fish this week. There, he caught two of his keepers by punching a black/blue laminate X-Zone Muscle Back Finesse Craw on a 3/0 VMC Heavy Duty Flippin’ Hook with a 1 1/4-ounce tungsten weight.

“I think it came down to versatility; that’s why I was able to have the kind of day I had,” Palaniuk said. “Without that big one on the drop shot, without those two I caught this morning, I wouldn’t have been able to win.”

Palaniuk overcame a Day 1 penalty of 2 pounds, 4 ounces for inadvertently making a cast with six fish — one more than his legal limit — in his livewell. Palaniuk self-reported the infraction.

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“It went through my head about 47 times in the last hour (before weigh-ins),” Palaniuk said. “I kept thinking, ‘If somebody beats me, let it be (more than the penalty weight).’

“One of the things I say a lot is, ‘Control the controllables.’ When I do something like that, it bothers me because it’s something I can control and I knew this event was going to be so tough that 2 pounds is not something you want to be giving up.”

Hailing from Queensland, Australia, Jocumsen took the Day 1 lead by catching the event’s heaviest sack — 25-8. He slipped to second on Day 2 after adding 12-7 and regained the top spot on Saturday with a 4-fish bag that weighed 12-11. On Sunday, Jocumsen missed his limit again and weighed four bass for 13-8 and tallied 64-2.

Each day, Jocumsen started by fishing a grassy depression midlake with a white Z-Man JackHammer ChatterBait with a white Yamamoto Zako trailer. He then moved to grass mats where he punched with a black and blue Molix SV Craw rigged on a 4/0 Owner Jungle hook and a 1 1/4-ounce Woo! Tungsten weight.

“The early spot kicked off like I had hoped it would today,” Jocumsen said. “It was cloudy and dark this morning and they were feeding and I got two good ones.

“After that, I went punching. The sun came out, there was a little bit of wind, everything was right. I had a few opportunities, I had the bites, I just didn’t put them in the boat.”

Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, finished third with 61-9. Spending all week in Jack’s Creek, Johnston turned in a consistent performance with daily weights of 17-7, 14-6, 15-3 and 14-9.

“I found the most fish there in practice, so I thought my best bet was to figure out what was going on in that creek day-to-day,” Johnston said. “I caught them flipping a black creature bait, a 3/8-ounce swim jig with a Strike King Rage Craw trailer and a black Spro Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog.”

Palaniuk’s win moved him into 15th place in the Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year standings with 493 points. Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, holds the lead with 587, Johnston follows in second with 550 and David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., is in third with 540.

Jeff Gustafson of Keewatin, Canada, won Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 9-7.

Bernie Schultz of Gainesville, Fla., took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

The tournament was hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce.