Categories
MLF BIG-5

Reitzell Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake of the Pines

JEFFERSON, Texas (April 12, 2021) – Boater Stephen Reitzell of Colfax, Louisiana, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake of the Pines in Jefferson, Texas. Reitzell earned $5,229 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK
 
BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Stephen Reitzell of Colfax, La.
 
5
 
23-10
 
$5,229
 
2nd
 
Kraig Chapman of Bossier City, La.
 
5
 
21-12
 
$2,614
 
3rd
 
Judah Morris of Forest Hill, La.
 
5
 
18-14
 
$1,745
 
4th
 
Brad Morgan of Ashdown, Ark.
 
5
 
18-10
 
$1,220
 
5th
 
Edwin Baker of Gilmer, Texas
 
5
 
18-3
 
$1,046
 
6th
 
Troy Roder of Brookeland, Texas
 
5
 
17-15
 
$959
 
7th
 
Arthur Johnson of Judson, Texas
 
5
 
17-9
 
$871
 
8th
 
Red Ballard of Sulphur, La.
 
5
 
17-6
 
$1,284
 
9th
 
Robert Riche of Houma, La.
 
5
 
16-14
 
$697
 
10th
 
Randy Deaver of Blanchard, La.
 
5
 
16-11
 
$860
 
RANK
 
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
JJ Matzke of League City, Texas
 
5
 
14-9
 
$2,614
 
2nd
 
Tyrell Harmon of Manor, Texas
 
5
 
14-6
 
$1,307
 
3rd
 
Floyd Pittman of Covington, La.
 
5
 
14-4
 
$872
 
4th
 
Greg Dennis of Fort Worth, Texas
 
5
 
14-1
 
$566
 
4th
 
Albert Ignacio of Dallas, Texas
 
5
 
14-1
 
$566
 
6th
 
Robert Massey of Calhoun, La.
 
5
 
13-10
 
$479
 
7th
 
Calvin Bogan of Livingston, Texas
 
5
 
13-0
 
$436
 
8th
 
Brandon Begnaud of Texas City, Texas
 
5
 
12-14
 
$392
 
9th
 
Cameron Petras of Biloxi, Miss.
 
4
 
12-12
 
$349
 
10th
 
Tim Woodard of Rosepine, La.
 
5
 
12-6
 
$430
 

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD
 
NAME
 
CONTINGENCY
 
PAYOUT
 
Boater Big Bass
 
Louis Ferguson of Woodville, Texas
 
7-pound, 10-ounce bass
 
$815
 
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass
 
Lat Nichols of Deport, Texas
 
8-pound, 12-ounce bass
 
$407
 
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus
 
Red Ballard of Sulphur, La.
 
Eligible Phoenix Boat*
 
$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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER
 
BAIT
 
COLOR
 
Boater
 
Generic Spinnerbait/Jig
 
N/A
 
Strike King Co-Angler
 
Dropshot-Rigged Soft Plastic Jerkbait
 
Orange Magnum
 

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT
 
DATE
 
LOCATION
 
HOST
 
Cowboy Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship
 
Oct. 21-23
 
Lake Ouachita, Mt. Ida, Ark.
 
Visit Hot Springs
 
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American
 
June 3-5
 
Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
 
Jefferson County Department of Tourism
 

The 2021 MLF 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 Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. 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 Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Categories
MLF BIG-5

Tenn’s Bowman Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Dale Hollow Lake

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (April 13, 2021) – Boater Anthony Bowman of Monterey, Tennessee, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. Bowman earned $6,658 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Star Point Marina and Resort.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK
 
BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Anthony Bowman of Monterey, Tenn.
 
5
 
19-13
 
$6,658
 
2nd
 
Eric Snow of Clarksville, Ind.
 
5
 
18-13
 
$2,829
 
3rd
 
Christian Nash of Cookeville, Tenn.
 
5
 
18-11
 
$2,386
 
4th
 
Clay Reece of Lexington, Ky.
 
5
 
18-8
 
$1,320
 
5th
 
Adam Militana of Saluda, N.C.
 
5
 
18-7
 
$1,037
 
5th
 
Mark Neal of Livingston, Tenn.
 
5
 
18-7
 
$1,037
 
5th
 
Austin Poston of Cookeville, Tenn.
 
5
 
18-7
 
$1,037
 
8th
 
Chris Burton of Somerset, Ky.
 
5
 
18-6
 
$849
 
9th
 
Kyle Gelles of Pingree, Idaho
 
5
 
18-3
 
$707
 
9th
 
Danny Abrams of Greensfork, Ind.
 
5
 
18-3
 
$707
 
RANK
 
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Todd Beaty of Rickman, Tenn.
 
5
 
15-13
 
$2,760
 
2nd
 
Drew Campbell of Cookeville, Tenn.
 
4
 
14-15
 
$1,822
 
3rd
 
Bert Kissick of Danville, Ky.
 
5
 
13-13
 
$918
 
4th
 
Craig Marsh of Mount Juliet, Tenn.
 
5
 
13-2
 
$644
 
5th
 
Bobby Richardson of Gainesboro, Tenn.
 
4
 
12-13
 
$552
 
6th
 
Kellen Wilson of Somerset, Ky.
 
5
 
12-9
 
$506
 
7th
 
Will Carnes of Stanford, Ky.
 
4
 
12-7
 
$460
 
8th
 
Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tenn.
 
5
 
12-2
 
$414
 
9th
 
Jonathan Combs of Winchester, Ky.
 
5
 
12-1
 
$368
 
10th
 
Matt Hall of Frankfort, Ky.
 
4
 
11-11
 
$322
 

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD
 
NAME
 
CONTINGENCY
 
PAYOUT
 
Boater Big Bass
 
Matt Smith of Bowling Green, Ky.
 
5-pound, 15-ounce bass
 
$915
 
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass
 
Drew Campell of Cookeville, Tenn.
 
5-pound, 7-ounce bass
 
$442
 
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus
 
Christian Nash of Cookeville, Tenn.
 
Eligible Phoenix Boat*
 
$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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER
 
BAIT
 
COLOR
 
Boater
 
Did Not Divulge
 
N/A
 
Strike King Co-Angler
 
Did Not Divulge
 
N/A
 

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT
 
DATE
 
LOCATION
 
HOST
 
Mountain Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship
 
Oct. 7-9
 
Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.
 
Decatur Morgan County Tourism
 
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American
 
June 3-5
 
Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
 
Jefferson County Department of Tourism
 

The 2021 MLF 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 Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. 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 Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Categories
MLF BIG-5

Georgia’s Carter Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Sinclair

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (April 13, 2021) – Boater Kip Carter of Eatonton, Georgia wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Sinclair in Milledgeville, Georgia. Carter earned $6,673 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK
 
BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Kip Carter of Eatonton, Ga.
 
5
 
20-08
 
$6,673
 
2nd
 
Girard Jones of Macon, Ga.
 
5
 
17-11
 
$2,837
 
3rd
 
Jackson Brown of Bogart, Ga.
 
5
 
16-14
 
$1,891
 
4th
 
Willie McMullen of Covington, Ga.
 
5
 
16-6
 
$1,324
 
5th
 
Justin Kimmel of Athens, Ga.
 
5
 
15-11
 
$1,385
 
6th
 
Jason Cheek of Eatonton, Ga.
 
5
 
15-8
 
$1,040
 
7th
 
Michael Wilder of Lizella, Ga.
 
5
 
15-1
 
$946
 
8th
 
Jimmy Millsaps of Canton, Ga.
 
5
 
14-9
 
$851
 
9th
 
Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga.
 
5
 
14-4
 
$756
 
10th
 
Ben-Oni Maldonado of Covington, Ga.
 
5
 
14-1
 
$662
 
RANK
 
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Will Thomas of Madison, Ga.
 
5
 
13-6
 
$2,844
 
2nd
 
James Murphy of Phenix City, Ala.
 
5
 
11-3
 
$1,185
 
3rd
 
Kyler Turner of Perry, Ga.
 
5
 
11-3
 
$1,385
 
4th
 
Thomas Pierce of Calhoun, Ga.
 
4
 
10-14
 
$664
 
5th
 
Troy Harris of Watkinsville, Ga.
 
5
 
10-9
 
$1,029
 
6th
 
Travis Wilkes of Covington, Ga.
 
5
 
9-15
 
$521
 
7th
 
Bruce Jeffrey of Lithonia, Ga.
 
5
 
9-6
 
$474
 
8th
 
Spencer Sato of Warner Robins, Ga.
 
4
 
9-3
 
$427
 
9th
 
Jerry Bryant of Douglas, Ga.
 
5
 
8-13
 
$379
 
10th
 
Donald Peppers of Good Hope, Ga.
 
5
 
8-12
 
$332
 

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD
 
NAME
 
CONTINGENCY
 
PAYOUT
 
Boater Big Bass
 
William Glawson, Macon, Ga.
 
6-pound,11-ounce bass
 
$925
 
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass
 
Troy Harris, Watkinsville, Ga.
 
6-pound, 6-ounce bass
 
$460
 
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus
 
John Duvall, Madison, Ga.
 
Eligible Phoenix Boat*
 
$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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS

ANGLER
 
BAIT
 
COLOR
 
Boater
 
Generic ½ ounce spinnerbait
 
Did Not Divulge
 
Strike King Co-Angler
 
Zoom Trick Worm
 
June Bug
 

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT
 
DATE
 
LOCATION
 
HOST
 
Bulldog Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship
 
Oct. 21-23
 
St. Johns, Palatka, Fla.
 
Putnam County Tourist Development Council
 
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American
 
June 3-5
 
Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
 
Jefferson County Department of Tourism
 

The 2021 MLF 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 Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. 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 Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Categories
MLF BIG-5

Florida’s Pechacek Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Okeechobee

CLEWISTON, Fla. (April 13, 2021) – Boater David Pechacek of Winter Garden, Florida, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida. Pechacek earned $5,519 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK
 
BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
David Pechacek of Winter Garden, Fla.
 
5
 
20-3
 
$5,519
 
2nd
 
Brian MacDougall of La Belle, Fla.
 
5
 
19-4
 
$2,298
 
2nd
 
Kevin Izzi of Smithville, Texas
 
5
 
19-4
 
$2,298
 
4th
 
Jessie Mizell of Myakka City, Fla.
 
5
 
18-15
 
$1,288
 
5th
 
Garrett Farmer of Estero, Fla.
 
5
 
18-3
 
$1,104
 
6th
 
Brandon Medlock of Lake Placid, Fla.
 
5
 
18-0
 
$1,012
 
7th
 
Trevor Hamlin of Cape Coral, Fla.
 
5
 
17-4
 
$1,805
 
8th
 
Joe Callahan of Plantation, Fla.
 
5
 
16-9
 
$828
 
9th
 
Clay Batson of Bradenton, Fla.
 
5
 
16-8
 
$736
 
10th
 
Tony Bennett of Tarpon Springs, Fla.
 
5
 
15-14
 
$644
 
RANK
 
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Joshua Dunn of Mulberry, Fla.
 
5
 
22-0
 
$2,760
 
2nd
 
Jonathan Miller of Dundee, Ohio
 
5
 
19-3
 
$1,380
 
3rd
 
Chris Nickle of Sanford, Fla.
 
5
 
14-8
 
$918
 
4th
 
Edwin Rivera of Orlando, Fla.
 
5
 
14-7
 
$644
 
5th
 
Dawson Wiles of Fruit Cove, Fla.
 
5
 
13-6
 
$552
 
6th
 
Randy Paquette of Sarasota, Fla.
 
5
 
12-13
 
$506
 
7th
 
Brandon St. Pierre of Lehigh Acres, Fla.
 
5
 
12-11
 
$460
 
8th
 
Jose Valasquez of Gibsonton, Fla.
 
5
 
12-10
 
$414
 
9th
 
Giovanni Pizza of Boca Raton, Fla.
 
5
 
12-8
 
$368
 
10th
 
Barry Colbert of Port Saint Lucie, Fla.
 
5
 
12-2
 
$322
 

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD
 
NAME
 
CONTINGENCY
 
PAYOUT
 
Boater Big Bass
 
Trevor Hamlin of Cape Coral, Fla.
 
7-pound, 10-ounce bass
 
$885
 
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass
 
Bruce McFayden of Deerfield Beach, Fla.
 
8-pound, 2-ounce bass
 
$442
 
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus
 
Jared McMillan of Clewiston, Fla.
 
Eligible Phoenix Boat*
 
$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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER
 
BAIT
 
COLOR
 
Boater
 
Outkast Tackle RTX Flipping Jig
Zoom Super Speed Craw
 
Black & Blue
Did Not Divulge
 
Strike King Co-Angler
 
Havoc Devil Spear
 
Brown & Purple
 

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT
 
DATE
 
LOCATION
 
HOST
 
Gator Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship
 
Oct. 21-23
 
St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla.
 
Putnam County Tourist Development Council
 
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American
 
June 3-5
 
Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
 
Jefferson County Department of Tourism
 

The 2021 MLF 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 Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. 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 Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Categories
MLF BIG-5

Virginia’s Powroznik Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Smith Mountain Lake

HUDDLESTON, Va. (April 13, 2021) – Boater Ryan Powroznik of Hopewell, Virginia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, Virginia. Powroznik earned $6,573 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK
 
BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Ryan Powroznik of Hopewell, Va.
 
5
 
23-6
 
$6,573
 
2nd
 
Gregory Stallings of Dry Fork, Va.
 
5
 
21-0
 
$2,829
 
3rd
 
Zach Peaslee of Draper, Va.
 
5
 
20-6
 
$1,886
 
4th
 
Jessie Moore of Severn, Md.
 
5
 
20-1
 
$1,820
 
5th
 
Mike Hawks of Galax, Va.
 
5
 
19-4
 
$1,132
 
6th
 
Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va.
 
5
 
19-2
 
$1,537
 
7th
 
Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va.
 
5
 
19-0
 
$943
 
8th
 
Scott Dameron of Beckley, W.V.
 
5
 
18-11
 
$879
 
9th
 
Bill Deeds of Orange, Va.
 
5
 
18-8
 
$754
 
10th
 
Elliot Pilson of Stuart, Va.
 
5
 
18-1
 
$660
 
RANK
 
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN
 
BASS
 
WEIGHT
 
AWARD
 
1st
 
Scott Howard of Bedford, Va.
 
5
 
16-1
 
$2,791
 
2nd
 
Mark Blankenship of Christiansburg, Va.
 
5
 
15-0
 
$1,395
 
3rd
 
Dylan Gray of Gladys, Va.
 
5
 
14-15
 
$931
 
4th
 
Robert Wedding of Welcome, Md.
 
5
 
13-8
 
$901
 
5th
 
Daniel Eubank, Moneta, Va.
 
5
 
12-6
 
$558
 
6th
 
Jacob Waller of Chatham, Va.
 
3
 
11-1
 
$512
 
7th
 
Eric Hawks of Galax, Va.
 
4
 
10-13
 
$465
 
8th
 
Seth Brogan of Montvale, Va.
 
2
 
10-10
 
$395
 
8th
 
Tyrell Collins of Galax, Va.
 
4
 
10-10
 
$395
 
10th
 
Demon Pittman of Timberlake, N.C.
 
3
 
9-14
 
$326
 

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD
 
NAME
 
CONTINGENCY
 
PAYOUT
 
Boater Big Bass
 
Ryan Powroznik of Hopewell, Va.
 
7-pound bass
 
$915
 
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass
 
Dwayne Downey of Covington, Va.
 
6-pound, 13-ounce bass
 
$447
 
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus
 
Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va.
 
Eligible Phoenix Boat*
 
$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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER
 
BAIT
 
COLOR
 
Boater
 
Did Not Divulge
 
N/A
 
Strike King Co-Angler
 
Did Not Divulge
 
N/A
 

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT
 
DATE
 
LOCATION
 
HOST
 
Piedmont Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship
 
Oct. 14-16
 
Potomac River, Marbury, Md.
 
Charles County Board of Commissioners
 
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American
 
June 3-5
 
Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
 
Jefferson County Department of Tourism
 

The 2021 MLF 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 Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. 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 Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Categories
Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events

Jacob Wheeler Catches 7½-Pound Largemouth to Earn $50K, Final 10 Set for Championship Round at General Tire Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 13, 2021) – One fish. $50,000. Pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, boated a 7-pound, 8-ounce, largemouth Tuesday afternoon on Shearon Harris Reservoir, the largest fish of the day, to win $50,000 at the Major League Fishing (MLF) General Tire Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wheeler finished the day in 2nd place and punched his ticket straight to Wednesday’s final-day Championship Round.

“50 g’s, heck yeah, that is unreal,” Wheeler said in his post-game interview. “That will be a fish that I remember for the rest of my life. I was cruising down the bank and when I saw that fish, I literally stopped and was like ‘Whoa, that’s a $50,000 bass.’ It took me about 45 minutes trying to figure out how to catch her, and it was pretty dang awesome when I did.”

Wheeler caught the big bass on a Googan Baits Lunker Log, although he credited a different bait as being his key for the day.

“The (Googan) Bandito Bug was the big player for me today and I caught several of my fish doing that,” Wheeler said. “But, I also caught a couple, including the big ‘un, on the Lunker Log.

“I got really close to winning here two years ago, and I’d love to try to take home the title and get a little pay back on this lake this time around. So far, after today, it’s treating me pretty solid. Shearon Harris… I love you.”
 

Joining Wheeler in the Championship Round will be pro Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee, who won Tuesday’s Knockout Round with 15 bass weighing 46 pounds, 11 ounces.

“It was a great day for me, and well beyond my expectations,” said Morgan. “It was pretty simple fishing – just looking for spawning fish. They were up super-shallow, right around the bank. Weed clumps, trees, logs – whatever they could get around.

“I caught them on just a couple of baits,” Morgan continued. “I threw a ½-ounce Strike King Thunder Cricket with a chartreuse and white-colored Zoom Swimmer on the back. I also caught them flipping a Zoom Brush Hog and a Zoom Z-Craw . Some of the fish were actually feeding – those ones I’d catch on the Cricket. The bass that I caught flipping were primarily all spawning.”

Morgan fished the Thunder Cricket on a 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy Favorite Fishing Big Sexy casting rod, paired with a Lew’s 6:3:1 reel and spooled with 16-pound fluorocarbon line. For his flipping setup, he Texas-rigged the creature baits and threw them on a Favorite Fishing Pro Series The GOAT rod paired with an 8:3:1 Lew’s Flipping and Pitching reel and 20-pound fluorocarbon line.

Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Qualifying Round winners Fletcher Shryock and Bryan Thrift, along with the top eight anglers from Tuesday’s Knockout Round, competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000. In addition to the tournament purse, a $100,000 Big Bass Bonus will be awarded to the angler that lands the single biggest fish on the final day.

The top eight pros from the Knockout Round that advanced to Wednesday’s final-day Championship Round on Shearon Harris Reservoir are:

  1st:          Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-11
  2nd:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 13 bass, 41-6
  3rd:         Alton Jones, Woodway, Texas, 13 bass, 39-6
  4th:         Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., 12 bass, 36-15
  5th:         Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., 10 bass, 35-8
  6th:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., nine bass, 30-3
  7th:         Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-13
  8th:         Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, nine bass, 29-13

Eliminated from competition after the Knockout Round on Shearon Harris Reservoir are:

  9th:         Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., eight bass, 27-7, $4,000
  10th:       Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., eight bass, 27-0, $4,000
  11th:       Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., seven bass, 24-5, $4,000
  12th:       Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., seven bass, 19-15, $4,000
  13th:       Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 17-9, $4,000
  14th:       Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., four bass, 15-5, $4,000
  15th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 13-5, $4,000
  16th:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., three bass, 8-12, $4,000
  17th:       Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala., three bass, 6-12, $4,000
  18th:       Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., one bass, 2-15, $4,000

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

Overall, there were 143 bass weighing 453 pounds even caught by the 18 pros on Tuesday, which included one 7-pounder, one 6-pounders and seven 5-pounders caught from Shearon Harris Reservoir.

The MLF General Tire Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops is hosted by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.

The 20 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Jordan Lake on Friday and Sunday – the 20 anglers in Group B on Falls Lake on Saturday and Monday. The anglers that finished in 2nd through 10th place from both groups advanced to Tuesday’s Knockout Round on Shearon Harris, while the winner of each group advanced directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round on Shearon Harris. In Wednesday’s final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins.