Hickory’s Benfield Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 23, 2021) – Boater John Parker of Gaffney, South Carolina, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Norman in Mooresville, North Carolina. Parker won by a 1-ounce margin, earning $5,843 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Mooresville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | John Parker of Gaffney, S.C. | 5 | 14-5 | $5,843 |
| 2nd | Craig Chambers of Charlotte, N.C. | 5 | 14-4 | $2,921 |
| 3rd | Eric Moser of Concord, N.C. | 5 | 13-8 | $1,948 |
| 4th | Christopher Brown of Lexington, N.C. | 5 | 12-15 | $1,363 |
| 5th | Shane Lehew of Catawba, N.C. | 5 | 12-0 | $1,169 |
| 6th | John Wiese of Charlotte, N.C. | 4 | 11-11 | $2,031 |
| 7th | Curtis Dillon of Advance, N.C. | 5 | 11-0 | $974 |
| 8th | Ben Hudson of Lynchburg, Va. | 4 | 10-15 | $876 |
| 9th | Ron Farrow of Rock Hill, S.C. | 5 | 10-13 | $779 |
| 10th | Aaron Digh of Denver, N.C. | 5 | 10-12 | $682 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Michael Benfield of Hickory, N.C. | 4 | 6-15 | $2,921 |
| 2nd | Ernest McIntyre of Fayetteville, N.C. | 4 | 6-14 | $1,461 |
| 3rd | Charles Wood of Thomasville, N.C. | 3 | 6-11 | $973 |
| 4th | David L. Deciucis of Chester, Va. | 3 | 6-10 | $682 |
| 5th | Drew Lumpkin of Cameron, N.C. | 3 | 6-2 | $584 |
| 6th | Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C. | 4 | 6-1 | $536 |
| 7th | Artie Phillips of Monroe, N.C. | 2 | 5-14 | $727 |
| 8th | Grant McPeters of Marion, N.C. | 3 | 5-11 | $438 |
| 9th | William Britt of Clarkton, N.C. | 2 | 5-5 | $390 |
| 10th | Scottie Elswick of Gordon, W.V. | 2 | 4-15 | $341 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | John Wiese of Charlotte, N.C. | 5-pound, 15-ounce bass | $910 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Patrick Brondos of Wilkesboro, N.C. | 4-pound bass | $455 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Artie Phillips of Monroe, N.C. | 4-pound bass | $240 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Matt Stark of Mooresville, N.C. | 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 | Jerkbait | Did Not Disclose |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Shaky Head & Rapala Shad Rap Crankbait | Did Not Disclose |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| North Carolina Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. | Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board |
| 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.
