Category: MLF BIG-5

LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 30, 2020) – Local pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, caught a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces, to vault to the top of the leaderboard on day two of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries in La Crosse. Monsoor’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28-11 will give him a 12-ounce advantage as the event enters into day three of competition in the four-day Super Tournament that features 200 of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers from FLW and Major League Fishing (MLF) competing for a top cash award of up to $160,000.

After starting the day in seventh place, Monsoor caught a limit in Pool No. 8 consisting of two smallmouth and three largemouth bass Thursday to move into first place. He says that the tournament is still completely up for grabs with two days of competition remaining and the fishery changing each day.

“I can’t believe that the River has been fishing as tough as it has been, but I had more weight today than I did yesterday so I guess it wasn’t too bad,” said Monsoor, a 17-year FLW pro veteran who has 25 previous top-10 finishes on the Mississippi River in FLW competition. “Yesterday I started out in Pool 7 and it did not work out. My two starting spots I didn’t get a bite – and I thought I could catch a limit at both. But that’s La Crosse – it can change overnight.

“Today I hunkered down in Pool 8 and it worked out a little better,” Monsoor continued. “I tried everything. I threw a topwater, I threw a popper, I threw a buzzbait, a football jig, a swimming jig, a Senko, and a homemade Bitsy Bug. All my weight is coming on the jig, but I’m trying other stuff. I see some big fish feeding but they ain’t biting. I don’t know why, yet.”

Monsoor said he remains on the lookout for the “big bite”, and that he almost had it in the boat late yesterday.

“Near the end of the day yesterday I thought I had snagged a stick, because it wasn’t fighting – it wasn’t moving. Then it came to the surface and opened its mouth – it was a 4- or 5-pounder – and the hook flew out. I’ve got good hooks, but the fish just didn’t get all of it. That bass would have been another couple of pounds, at least.

“That’s why this is still anybody’s tournament,” Monsoor went on to say. “I could get nothing tomorrow, and somebody else can catch a big bag. You can just stumble into them. I’m going to keep looking because I haven’t really found them yet.”

The top 20 pros after day two on the Mississippi River are:

            1^st:       Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 28-11
            2^nd:      Scott Wiley of Bay Minette, Ala., 10 bass, 27-15
            3^rd:       Bailey Boutries of Daphne, Ala., 10 bass, 27-14
            4^th:       Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 27-13
            5^th:       Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C., 10 bass, 27-9
            6^th:       Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 27-4
            7^th:       Tyler Stewart of West Monroe, La., 10 bass, 27-3
            8^th:       Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-2
            9^th:       Clark Reehm of Elm Grove, La., 10 bass, 26-7
            10^th:     Clayton Batts of Butler, Ga., 10 bass, 26-1
            11^th:     Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 10 bass, 25-7
            12^th:     Matt Lee of Bremen, Ala., 10 bass, 25-7
            13^th:     David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-7
            14^th:     Mike McClelland of Blue Eye, Mo., 10 bass, 25-4
            15^th:     Jon Englund of Farwell, Minn., 10 bass, 25-1
            16^th:     Dustin Connell of Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 25-1
            17^th:     David Gaston of Sylacauga, Ala., 10 bass, 24-15
            18^th:     Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., 10 bass, 24-13
            19^th:     Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 10 bass, 24-12
            20^th:     Jesse Wiggins of Logan, Ala., 10 bass, 24-11

Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, won the $500 Berkley Big Bass award Thursday in the pro division after bringing a fish weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces to the scale.

Overall there were 797 bass weighing 1,774 pounds, 3 ounces caught by 190 pros Thursday. The catch included 119 five-bass limits.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super-Tournament competition, the full field of 200 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Wednesday and Thursday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight now advance to Friday. Only the top 10 pros will continue competition on Championship Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

FLW anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota, the Pro Circuit championship. The 2020 Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota will be held on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Aug. 24-29.

MLF pros competing in the Pro Circuit Super Tournaments will fish for prize money only. No points will be awarded toward any championship or title to MLF competitors. Only the original Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will compete for the AOY title throughout the remainder of the season. AOY points in the final events will be awarded based on Pro Circuit anglers finishing order. The top-finishing FLW pro will receive “first-place points” regardless of where he finishes in the overall standings, and so on.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CDT each day from Stoddard Park, located at 502 Forest Lane, in Stoddard. The weigh-in each day will also be held at Stoddard Park and will begin at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through the expanded four-day “FLW Live” on-the-water broadcasts and weigh-in coverage at FLWFishing.com.

Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River will premiere at 7 p.m. EDT, Sept. 11 on the Outdoor Channel. Running now through Dec. 27, FLW will air 312 hours of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit action on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down the final rounds of each regular-season competition. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.

MARBURY, Md. (July 27, 2020) – Boaters Cody Pike of Powhatan, Virginia, and Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Virginia, both brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces to tie for the win at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Estes earned a total of $4,262 after contingency awards, while Pike took home $10,262, including the lucrative $7,000 FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency award.

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

“Today was a slow grind for me, and everything that I caught came fishing extremely slow in the grass with soft plastics and Strike King creature baits,” said Estes, who earned his second career win in FLW competition. “The key was just being patient. I love river fishing – especially when there is an outgoing tide – so I had to wait for the small window at the end of the day with the outgoing water and it paid off for me in the end.”

“I was fishing grass – not the thick matted hydrilla, but the sparser deep grass,” said Pike, who also picked up the second win of his FLW career. “It had to be the deepest grass that you could find. I caught them all on a black-and-blue-colored 3/8-ounce Dave’s Tournament Tackle Swim Jig.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1^st:       Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 14-14, $4,262

            1^st:       Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., five bass, 14-14, $10,262

            3^rd:       John Duarte of Middle River, Md., five bass, 14-5, $1,451

            4^th:       Mike Roselle of La Plata, Md., five bass, 14-4, $1,215

            5^th:       Carlton Owens of Franklin, Va., five bass, 14-0, $870

            6^th:       Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., five bass, 13-12, $798

            7^th:       Todd Langford of Great Falls, Va., five bass, 13-9, $689

            7^th:       Robert Henderson of King George, Va., five bass, 13-9, $689

            9^th:       Ben Jacobi of Richmond, Va., five bass, 13-8, $580

            10^th:     Jack Dice of Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 11-10, $508

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Cavin Young of Prince George, Virginia, earned the day’s $615 Boater Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 8-ounce largemouth.

Pike took home an extra $7,000 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.

Jonathan Patkus of Columbia, Maryland, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces. Patkus earned $2,175 for his victory.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1^st:       Jonathan Patkus of Columbia, Md., five bass, 12-10, $2,175

            2^nd:      Cornell Badra of Clarksburg, Md., five bass, 12-0, $1,088

            3^rd:       Matt McCluskey of Ashburn, Va., four bass, 11-2, $726

            4^th:       Richard Hare of Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 10-3, $507

            5^th:       Mark Blankenship of Christiansburg, Va., five bass, 10-1, $435

            6^th:       Timothy Kinder of Manassas, Va., five bass, 9-14, $899

            7^th:       Austin Burdette of Pembroke, Va., five bass, 9-7, $363

            8^th:       Alex Titus of Annandale, Va., five bass, 9-6, $326

            9^th:       John Poos of Manassas, Va., five bass, 9-1, $272

            9^th:       Bernie Scheiner of Burke, Va., four bass, 9-1, $272

Edward Dustin of Fredericksburg, Virginia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $307.

IUKA, Miss. (July 20, 2020) – It was a double-header for weekend bass anglers this past weekend in Iuka with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Pickwick Lake events.

Boater Dayton Scott of Memphis, Tennessee, brought a three-bass limit to the scale totaling 12 pounds, 6 ounces to win Saturday’s event and earn $5,575, while boater Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, brought in three bass weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces on Sunday to earn the win and the top prize of $5,394.

It was a unique win for 18-year-old Scott, who just wrapped up his High School Fishing career as he fished in his last High School tournament last weekend. Saturday was Scott’s first ever BFL tournament, and the young angler had a special day.

“I thought I’d do okay, but the Good Lord blessed me with an 8½-pounder that helped me get my weight,” Scott said. “Most of my fish came on a swimjig, but the big fish came on a Texas-rigged 7-inch Strike King Cut-R Worm (green pumpkin).

“I noticed in practice that the ledges were getting pounded, so I tried to key on shallow flats where they were pushing bait,” Scott continued. “I fished near State Line Island and caught most of my fish in 6 feet of water.”

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

            1^st:       Dayton Scott of Memphis, Tenn., three bass, 12-6, $5,575

            1^st:       Steve Hughes of Mooreville, Miss., three bass, 11-13, $2,288

            3^rd:       T.A. Cook III of Booneville, Miss., three bass, 11-10, $1,525

            4^th:       Jennings Earnest of Guin, Ala., three bass, 11-0, $1,068

            5^th:       Bryan Waldon of Falkner, Miss., three bass, 10-11, $915

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

Casey Taylor of Smithville, Tennessee, brought a 9-pound, 4-ounce largemouth to the scale to earn Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $665.

Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $2,288 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

            1^st:       Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three bass, 13-4, $2,288

            2^nd:      Kiowa Terry of Hamilton, Ala., three bass, 11-3, $1,144

            3^rd:       Brian Toth of Pearl, Miss., three bass, 10-13, $762

            4^th:       Farley Fondren of Maben, Miss., three bass, 10-12, $534

            5^th:       Anthony Rasberry of New Albany, Miss., three bass, 9-15, $458

Eddie Armstrong of West Point, Mississippi, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 8 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $332.

On Sunday, winning boater Brent Anderson also caught his fish shallow.

“My experience guiding on this lake has taught me that I could not win out deep,” said Anderson, who earned his eighth career BFL win. “I ran up the river and fished anything that looked good – some water willows, laydowns and stumps.

“I caught them on a worm, a jig, a ChatterBait and a few on a topwater,” Anderson continued. “The key bait was the worm – a plum-colored Zoom Ol’ Monster. I fished anywhere from 6 to 10 feet.”

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

            1^st:       Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tenn., three bass, 12-8, $5,394

            2^nd:      Michael Wooley of Booneville, Miss., three bass, 12-3, $2,197

            3^rd:       Randy Craft of Seminary, Miss., three bass, 10-13, $1,464

            4^th:       Ben Webb of Mooreville, Miss., three bass, 10-11, $1,025

            5^th:       Andy Coy of Corinth, Miss., three bass, 10-9, $2,009

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

Coy brought a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $630.

Coy also picked up Sunday’s FLW PHOENIX BONUS of $500 as he was the highest-finishing 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.

Cameron Petras of Biloxi, Mississippi, won the Co-angler Division and $2,197 Sunday after catching a three-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

            1^st:       Cameron Petras of Biloxi, Miss., three bass, 11-4, $2,197

            2^nd:      Chris Estes of Shannon, Miss., three bass, 11-0, $1,098

            3^rd:       John Swords of Collierville, Tenn., three bass, 10-6, $733

            4^th:       Todd Ware of Meridian, Miss., three bass, 10-5, $513

            5^th:       Billy Robertson of Waterloo, Ala., three bass, 10-4, $439

Scott Kirk of Houston, Mississippi, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $157.

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

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Ryan Hochstetler of Shipshewana, Indiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 22 pounds, 9 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township, Michigan. For his victory, Hochstetler earned a total of $6,972.

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

“I was fishing in Anchor Bay, north of the North Channel,” said Hochstetler, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “I was fishing a shallow weedline in 4 to 6 foot of water.”

Hochstetler said that his key baits were a Duo Realis Spybait and a drop-shot rig with a Duo Realis V-Tailshad.

“I found these fish two weeks ago, and they stayed there along with the bait,” Hochstetler went on to say. “I put in a lot of hard work for this, so winning feels really good.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1^st:       Ryan Hochstetler of Shipshewana, Ind., five bass, 22-9, $6,972

            2^nd:      Dawson Johnson of Luck, Wis., five bass, 21-14, $2,236

            3^rd:       Mike Raber of Wolcottville, Ind., five bass, 21-8, $1,492

            4^th:       Mark Modrak of China Township, Mich., five bass, 21-6, $1,043

            5^th:       Hayden Scott of Ann Arbor, Mich., five bass, 21-3, $894

            6^th:       Troy Stokes of Brownstown, Mich., five bass, 20-13, $820

            7^th:       Beau Bickford of Findlay, Ohio, five bass, 20-9, $708

            7^th:       Tim Gillies of Union City, Mich., five bass, 20-9, $708

            9^th:       Tom Beale of St. Clair Shores, Mich., five bass, 20-7, $596

            10^th:     Tony Mitchell of Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 20-3, $496

            10^th:     Russel Buffa of Fenton, Mich., five bass, 20-3, $496

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Gary Solomon of Clinton Township, Michigan, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $650 after bringing a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass to the scale.

Hochstetler was also the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $2,500. 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.

Nicholas Ireland of Davison, Michigan, won the Co-angler Division and $2,571 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1^st:       Nicholas Ireland of Davison, Mich., five bass, 20-7, $2,571

            2^nd:      Joseph Sittler of Fort Wayne, Ind., five bass, 20-6, $1,125

            3^rd:       Scott Lutz of Bremen, Ind., five bass, 19-7, $752

            4^th:       Calvin Fitch of Kokomo, Ind., five bass, 19-4, $525

            5^th:       Trent Norman of Union, Ky., five bass, 19-3, $450

            6^th:       Kendra Mueller of Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 18-4, $393

            6^th:       Tony Grubb of Ann Arbor, Mich., five bass, 18-4, $393

            8^th:       Nicholas Veselka of Fishers, Ind., five bass, 17-15, $337

            9^th:       Evan Ellis of Greentown, Ind., five bass, 17-13, $300

            10^th:     Logan Roller of Tremont, Ill., five bass, 17-10, $262

Ireland also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch added to his winnings as he earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $322.

HENDERSON, N.C. (July 20, 2020) – It was a double-header for weekend bass anglers this past weekend in Henderson with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake events.

Boater Ronnie Baker of Providence Forge, Virginia, had a very successful weekend, winning both events back-to-back. Baker brought a five-bass limit to the scale totaling 16 pounds even to win Saturday’s event and earn $3,466, then backed it up with another five-bass limit on Sunday – this one totaling 14 pounds, 15 ounces – to earn the win $3,122.

“Winning is hard enough, but to win two in a row against this field of anglers is unbelievable,” said Baker, who had one prior career victory coming into the weekend. “Going back-to-back is a dream come true.

“I stayed mostly in Nutbush Creek both days; I maybe ventured out a mile,” Baker continued. “I rotated through the same four or five spots both days. There is a lot of shad out on the points, and they reload overnight.”

Baker said he caught the majority of his fish in 12 to 15 feet of water on an unnamed ½-ounce swimjig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Speed Craw, although he also mixed in a ½-ounce football jig on Sunday.

“They bit good until about 10 (a.m.) each day, then it really slowed down,” Baker said. “You could still catch a few after 10, but it was a grind.”

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

            1^st:       Ronnie Baker of Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 16-0, $3,466

            1^st:       Ben Reynolds of Callands, Va., five bass, 15-13, $1,733

            3^rd:       Mike Miller of Trinity, N.C., five bass, 14-11, $1,155

            4^th:       Ryan Harrell of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., five bass, 14-7, $1,244

            5^th:       David Wright of Lexington, N.C., five bass, 14-5, $1,193

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

Harrell brought a 5-pound, 11-ounce largemouth to the scale to earn Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $435.

Wright picked up Saturday’s FLW PHOENIX BONUS of $500 as he was the highest-finishing 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.

Carl Enos of Bracey, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $1,905 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

            1^st:       Carl Enos of Bracey, Va., three bass, 13-4, $1,905

            2^nd:      Victor Riveras of Newport News, Va., three bass, 10-1, $846

            3^rd:       Joseph Kozlinski of Fayetteville, N.C., three bass, 9-15, $564

            4^th:       Barry Burford of Charlotte, N.C., three bass, 9-10, $567

            4^th:       Robert Raymond of Farmville, Va., three bass, 9-10, $367

Enos caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $212.

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

            1^st:       Ronnie Baker of Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 14-15, $3,122

            2^nd:      David Wright of Lexington, N.C., five bass, 13-15, $2,061

            3^rd:       Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 13-14, $1,043

            4^th:       Tim Wiltfong of Wake Forest, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $728

            5^th:       Paul Worthington of Benson, N.C., five bass, 12-2, $624

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

Curtis Talbott of Forest, Virginia, brought a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $375.

Wright also added Sunday’s FLW PHOENIX BONUS of $500 as he was the highest-finishing member.

Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,561 Sunday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

            1^st:       Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C., five bass, 14-12, $1,561

            2^nd:      Eric Hawks of Galax, Va., five bass, 13-13, $781

            3^rd:       Eric Osborne of Jefferson, N.C., five bass, 11-13, $521

            4^th:       Michael Abel of Portsmouth, Va., five bass, 11-6, $364

            5^th:       Samuel Jones of Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 11-4, $312

Vernon Adams of Raleigh, North Carolina, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces to earn Sunday’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $187.

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

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tennessee, brought three bass to the scale Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. For his victory, Boggs earned $5,082.

“I wanted to make a run to fish about an hour south,” said Boggs, who earned his seventh career BFL win. “I made it almost all the way – about five minutes from stopping – when my engine started knocking and I knew something wasn’t right.

“So I sat down in the first area and ended up staying there for a long time,” Boggs continued. “I ended up catching two on a football jig in brush piles and one on a deep crankbait on a ledge.

“By the time I left, my engine was knocking so badly that I was only able to fish two more stops before I made it back. It took quite a while – I had to troll in the last two miles. It was extremely tough, but I was very blessed. I caught nine keepers, and my best five would have been around 22 pounds.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1^st:       Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tenn., three bass, 13-13, $5,082

            2^nd:      Scott Patton of Dayton, Tenn., three bass, 11-3, $2,541

            3^rd:       Daniel Langton of Evansville, Ind., three bass, 9-14, $1,157

            3^rd:       Ronnie Getz of Sunman, Ind., three bass, 9-14, $1,157

            5^th:       David Young of Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 9-11, $1,342

            5^th:       Keith Amerson of Bethel Springs, Tenn., three bass, 9-11, $782

            7^th:       Kevin Caskey of Madisonville, Ky., three bass, 9-10, $680

            8^th:       Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tenn., three bass, 9-7, $612

            9^th:       Harold Buchmeier of Gilbertsville, Ky., three bass, 9-0, $544

            10^th:     Mason Fleetwood of Vallonia, Ind., three bass, 8-15, $452

            10^th:     David Hames of Trezevant, Tenn., three bass, 8-15, $452

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Young claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $560 after bringing a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass to the scale.

Patton 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.

Wesley Dunn of Paducah, Kentucky, and Brian Huber of St. Peters, Missouri, tied for the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after both anglers brought in three bass totaling 8 pound, 7 ounces. For their wins, each angler brought home $1,503.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1^st:       Wesley Dunn of Paducah, Ky., three bass, 8-7, $1,503

            1^st:       Brian Huber of St. Peters, Mo, three bass, 8-7, $1,503

            3^rd:       Jeff Harris of Lexington, Ky., two bass, 8-0, $943

            4^th:       Frank Haysley of Louisville, Ky., three bass, 6-9, $468

            5^th:       Richard Baker of Jackson, Tenn., three bass, 6-4, $401

            6^th:       Charlie Kuebler of Jasper, Ind., three bass, 5-14, $368

            7^th:       Gary Hill of Germantown, Ohio, three bass, 5-13, $334

            8^th:       William Holden of Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 5-11, $284

            8^th:       Chris Coates of Bethpage, Tenn., two bass, 5-11, $284

            10^th:     Orville Gown of Leitchfield, Ky., three bass, 5-10, $234

Harris caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $275.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes was hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. The event was /the second of five qualifying tournaments in the LBL division.

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Mike Seal of Richmond, Indiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. For his victory, Seal earned a total of $4,127.

“I’ve fished around 60 of these events, and it feels good to finally earn a win,” said Seal. “It was a pretty slow day – I threw a slow worm and had six keeper bites. I didn’t burn more than a ½ gallon of gas.”

Seal’s worm of choice was a Berkley Powerbait 7-inch Power Worm.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1^st:       Mike Seal of Richmond, Ind., five bass, 11-2, $4,127

            2^nd:      Nick Uebelhor of Loogootee, Ind., five bass, 10-4, $2,564

            3^rd:       Brandon Barrett of Bloomington, Ind., five bass, 8-5, $1,377

            4^th:       Chris Combess of Cleves, Ohio, five bass, 8-1, $963

            5^th:       Brannon Pickett of Franklin, Ind., five bass, 7-11, $825

            6^th:       Thomas Foster of Terre Haute, Ind., four bass, 6-14, $757

            7^th:       Tyler Land of Coatsville, Ind., two bass, 6-11, $1,263

            8^th:       Jared Robinson of Medora, Ind., five bass, 6-9, $619

            8^th:       Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 6-6, $750

            10^th:     Jeff Ellis of Danville, Ind., four bass, 5-13, $482

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Land earned the day’s $575 Boater Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Uebelhor 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.

Alex Kerns of Carmel, Indiana, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching four bass weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces. Kerns earned $2,082 for his victory.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1^st:       Alex Kerns of Carmel, Ind., four bass, 6-3, $2,082

            2^nd:      Justin Clift of Greenwood, Ind., three bass, 5-4, $1,041

            3^rd:       Mike Burgess of Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 4-5, $692

            4^th:       Trapper Owens of Carlisle, Ohio, three bass, 3-14, $428

            5^th:       Dyllan Grace of Scottsburg, Ind., three bass, 3-14, $428

            6^th:       Larry Ellis of Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 3-14, $428

            7^th:       Brian Bogard of Camby, Ind., three bass, 3-13, $347

            8^th:       Gary Owens of Columbus, Ind., three bass, 3-8, $312

            9^th:       Dan Miller of Greenwood, Ind., two bass, 3-7, $278

            10^th:     Dan Schlegel of Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 3-6, $243

Dan Whitley of Mooresville, Indiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 2 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $290.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg was the third of five qualifying events in the Hoosier Division.

LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Randy Wieczorek of Buffalo City, Wisconsin, brought a three-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 11 pounds, 9 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. For his victory, Wieczorek earned $5,463.

“It’s been a long time – more than 15 years since I’ve won one of these (BFL) tournaments,” said Wieczorek, who picked up his second career win. “It feels good to know that I can still keep up with some of these young bucks that are out here.”

Wieczorek spent his tournament day fishing in Pool No. 7, throwing a jig and a frog to bring three nice largemouth to the scale.

“I was catching largemouth all the way up to the lock and dam to Pool No. 6,” Wieczorek said. “Most of the fish I caught early came flipping a black and blue jig around wood and in a little bit of eelgrass. I caught my bigger one fishing a frog in the slop.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1^st:       Randy Wieczorek of Buffalo City, Wis., three bass, 11-9, $5,463

            2^nd:      Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 10-14, $2,232

            3^rd:       Cade Laufenberg of Goodview, Minn., three bass, 9-12, $1,489

            4^th:       Hunter Litchfield of Macomb, Ill., three bass, 9-10, $967

            4^th:       Brandon Gann of Sparta, Wis., three bass, 9-10, $967

            6^th:       Jeremy Nokken of La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-6, $818

            7^th:       Travis Brueggen of Cashton, Wis., three bass, 9-4, $744

            8^th:       Josh Ystenes of La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-3, $669

            9^th:       Tyler Fitch of Oregon, Wis., three bass, 9-0, $595

            10^th:     Kyle Meyer of Blaine, Minn., three bass, 8-14, $473

            10^th:     Adam Hatfield of Sparta, Wis., three bass, 8-14, $473

            10^th:     Joe Pollak of Lake Geneva, Wis., three bass, 8-14, $673

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Rene Luis of Chicago, Illinois, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $640 after bringing a 4-pound, 7-ounce bass to the scale.

Kevin Ruh of Onalaska, Wisconsin, 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.

Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wisconsin, won the Co-angler Division and $2,232 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 10 pounds, 10 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1^st:       Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wis., three bass, 10-10, $2,232

            2^nd:      Brian Baker of Onalaska, Wis., three bass, 8-14, $1,116

            3^rd:       Tom Rothering of Fountain City, Wis., three bass, 8-11, $952

            3^rd:       Nycholas Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, three bass, 8-11, $632

            5^th:       Jessie Pollard of Whitehall, Wis., three bass, 8-10, $446

            6^th:       Thad Vettrus of Chippewa Falls, Wis., three bass, 8-7, $409

            7^th:       Douglas Ley of Janesville, Wis., three bass, 8-5, $372

            8^th:       Chuck Davis of Farmington, Ill., three bass, 8-3, $335

            9^th:       Mike Fischer of Stacy, Minn., three bass, 8-0, $298

            10^th:     Greg Oppegard of West St. Paul, Minn., three bass, 7-15, $260

Rothering caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $320.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River in La Crosse was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second of five qualifying tournaments in the Great Lakes division.

WHITTINGTON, Ill. (July 13, 2020) – Boaters Dan Shoraga of West Frankfort, Illinois, and Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wisconsin, each brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces, to tie for the win at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at Rend Lake. For their wins Shoraga earned a total of $4,321, including the $1,000 Mercury Marine contingency bonus, while Brueggen brought home $3,321.

“I had seven bites all day, and managed to put them all in the boat,” said Shoraga, who earned his fourth career BFL win. “I knew it was going to fish tough, but I put my head down and just flipped the creeks all day.”

Shoraga said that he flipped black neon- and hematoma-colored beaver-style baits on the north end of the lake.

Brueggen, meanwhile, started in the mid-lake area and worked his way north, catching five fish throughout the day.

“I started early with a buzzbait, mid-lake, then worked my way north as the day progressed,” Brueggen said. “I caught two on the buzzbait and one out deep on a worm. As I worked up north, I caught one flipping and got my fifth keeper on a crankbait in the afternoon.”

Brueggen is now the early favorite for the October Regional Championship tournament, scheduled for his home waters of the Mississippi River in La Crosse.

“I don’t think there has ever been a regional championship in La Crosse before, so I’m really looking forward to that one,” Brueggen went on to say. “The river in October should be really good.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:

            1^st:       Dan Shoraga of West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 11-3, $4,321

            1^st:       Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 11-3, $3,321

            3^rd:       Addison Eggertsen of West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 10-5, $1,478

            4^th:       Toby Corn of Paducah, Ky., five bass, 10-2, $1,033

            5^th:       Terry Holsapple of Greenup, Ill., five bass, 9-7, $886

            6^th:       Darren Frazier of Anna, Ill., three bass, 9-6, $812

            7^th:       Colby Schrumpf of Highland, Ill., five bass, 9-3, $738

            8^th:       Mark O’Brien of Carterville, Ill., five bass, 8-14, $664

            9^th:       Brad Porter of Bluford, Ill., four bass, 8-10, $553

            9^th:       Martin Conaughty of Fairview Heights, Ill., four bass, 8-10, $553

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Terry Fitzpatrick of Waukon, Iowa, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $635 after bringing a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale.

Jodie Lanter of Carlyle, Illinois, 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.

Ryan Fancher of Olney, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division and $2,214 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 11 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:

            1^st:       Ryan Fancher of Olney, Ill., five bass, 11-5, $2,214

            2^nd:       Ryan Murphy of Paris, Ill., three bass, 6-15, $1,107

            3^rd:       James Jarvis of West Frankfort, Ill., three bass, 6-8, $738

            4^th:       Mike Swetland of Tamaroa, Ill., two bass, 6-5, $717

            5^th:       Charles Dammerman of Owaneco, Ill., two bass, 5-12, $443

            6^th:       Anthony Balding of Lebanon, Ill., two bass, 5-6, $406

            7^th:       Yong Yeun of Elgin, Ill., two bass, 5-2, $369

            8^th:       Ashton Nielsen of Mount Zion, Ill., one bass, 5-0, $471

            8^th:       Rod Mandrell of Benton, Ill., one bass, 5-0, $471

            10^th:     Alan Bernicky of Joliet, Ill., three bass, 4-13, $258

Mandrell caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds even. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $158.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Rend Lake was the second of five qualifying tournaments in the Illini division.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Illini Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 15-17 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, hosted by Explore La Crosse. 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.

GALLATIN, Tenn. (July 13, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Gallatin with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Old Hickory Lake events.

Boater Daniel Johnson of Lebanon, Tennessee, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces to win Saturday’s event and earn $4,418, while John Hopkins of Hendersonville, Tennessee, brought in a limit weighing 20 pounds, 11 ounces on Sunday to earn the win and $3,164.

The tournaments were the second and third of five events in the Music City Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.

“It was pretty much the same old, same old for me,” said Johnson, who earned his fourth career victory in BFL competition. “I live about ¼ mile from the lake, and fish it all the time – primarily shallow. I caught everything that I had flipping soft plastics in 1- to 6-feet-of-water.

“The hot and sunny weather really helped me,” Johnson continued. “It positioned the fish right where they needed to be for flipping.”

Johnson said that his key bait was a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver, which he estimated he threw 70% of the day.

The top five boaters on Saturday were:

            1^st:       Daniel Johnson of Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 16-6, $4,418

            2^nd:      Tim Messer of Hendersonville, Tenn., four bass, 16-0, $1,709

            3^rd:       Lance Oligschlaeger of Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 15-6, $1,138

            4^th:       Dustin Hinkle of Mount Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 14-8, $1,218

            5^th:       Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 14-2, $1,184

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

Hinkle brought a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass to the scale to add Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $420 to his winnings.

Wagner 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.

Beaufort, South Carolina’s Jared Kutil won the Co-angler Division and $1,868 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 11 pounds, 10 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:

            1^st:       Jared Kutil of Beaufort, S.C., five bass, 11-10, $1,868

            2^nd:      Benjamin Fouts of Morehead, Ky., five bass, 11-8, $834

            3^rd:       Ricky England of Sparta, Tenn., five bass, 10-15, $558

            4^th:       Curtis Cline of Lafayette, Tenn., five bass, 10-6, $389

            5^th:       Jimmy Cartwright of Smithville, Tenn., four bass, 9-5, $539

Cartwright caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $205.

Sunday’s tournament was a completely different story as winner John Hopkins spent his day catching huge numbers of fish out deep on the ledges.

“I caught probably 60 fish throughout the day,” said Hopkins, who picked up his fifth career BFL win. “Old Hickory is fishing better than it ever has.”

Hopkins said that he caught two good fish on a jig, but most of his damage was done with an unnamed crankbait.

The top five boaters on Sunday were:

            1^st:       John Hopkins of Hendersonville, Tenn., five bass, 20-11, $3,164

            2^nd:      Mickey Beck of Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 18-2, $1,582

            3^rd:       Dylan Wright of Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 17-14, $1,054

            4^th:       Clabion Johns of Social Circle, Ga., five bass, 16-7, $738

            5^th:       Hunter Bouldin of McMinnville, Tenn., five bass, 16-5, $633

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

Scott Ellis of Madison, Tennessee, brought a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $380.

William Merrick of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, was Sunday’s highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500.

Doug Thompson of Mabelvale, Arkansas, won the Co-angler Division and $1,582 Sunday after catching five bass weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:

            1^st:       Doug Thompson of Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 14-15, $1,582

            2^nd:      Ryan Mealer of Spring Hill, Tenn., five bass, 13-12, $981

            3^rd:       Chris Hughes of Centerville, Tenn., five bass, 12-12, $526

            4^th:       Taylor Wisniewski of Lexington, Ky., five bass, 11-5, $369

            5^th:       Benjamin Fouts of Morehead, Ky., five bass, 10-15, $316

Mealer caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds even. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $190.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Old Hickory Lake was hosted by Sumner County Tourism.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Music City 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 Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, hosted by the 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.