Category: MLF BIG-5

SALISBURY, N.Y. (June 21, 2021) – Boaters Scott Hamrick of Denver, North Carolina  and Ben Robertson of Walnut Cove, North Carolina, win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at High Rock Lake in Salisbury, New York. Hamrick earned $4,921 for his victory at the event, including a $1,000 Mercury bonus, and Robertson earned $3,921.
TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Scott Hamrick of Denver, N.C.	5	21-10	$4,921
1st	Ben Robertson of Walnut Cove, N.C.	5	21-10	$3,921
3rd	Spence Hutcheson of Durham, N.C.	5	20-8	$2,560
4th	Derik Hudson of Concord, Va.	5	17-14	$1,333
4th	John Wiese of Charlotte, N.C.	5	17-14	$1,133
6th	Ron Wolfarth of Oakboro, N.C.	5	17-7	$959
7th	Todd Fulk of Mount Pleasant, N.C.	5	16-12	$871
8th	Curtis Dillon of Advance, N.C.	4	16-11	$784
9th	Luke Farley of Dover, N.C.	5	16-9	$697
10th	Joel Richardson of Kernersville, N.C.	5	16-2	$610

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Trevor Lewis of Wake Forest, N.C.	5	15-5	$2,582
2nd	Ricky McCrary of Lexington, N.C.	5	12-6	$1,291
3rd	Wayne Smelser of Wytheville, Va.	4	12-1	$863
4th	Bradley Chandler of Richfield, N.C.	4	10-6	$603
5th	Travis Ruff of Connelly Springs, N.C.	3	10-0	$516
6th	Will Barker of Galax, Va.	3	9-15	$473
7th	Roger Hester, II of Walnut Cove, N.C.	3	9-4	$430
8th	Travis Donaldson of Cleveland, N.C.	3	9-3	$387
9th	Frank White of Marion, N.C.	3	9-0	$344
10th	Carson Palmer of Richfield, N.C.	3	8-13	$301

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Spence Hutcheson of Durham, N.C.	7-pound, 2-ounce bass	$815
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Mekye Barnes of Raleigh, N.C.	5-pound, 15-ounce bass	$402
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Brad Austin of Richfield, 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	Shaky Head	Did Not Disclose
Boater	Shooter Jig	Did Not Disclose
Strike King Co-Angler	Carolina Rig	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.

SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (June 21, 2021) – Boater Riley Walk of Neoga, Illinois, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Shelbyville in Shelbyville, Illinois. Walk earned $3,926 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Riley Walk of Neoga, Ill.	5	18-6	$3,926
2nd	Patrick O’Dell of Windsor, Ill.	5	15-4	$2,493
3rd	Shane Haslett of Beecher City, Ill.	4	14-12	$1,309
4th	Ken Davis of Winchester, Ill.	5	14-0	$916
5th	Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill.	5	13-14	$785
6th	Scott Rice of Cobden, Ill.	5	13-6	$720
7th	Curt Erpenbach of Valparaiso, Ind.	5	12-8	$654
8th	Scott Neighbors of Makanda, Ill.	4	12-6	$589
9th	Brian Tschudy of Mascoutah, Ill.	5	11-13	$1,023
10th	Rad Brewer of Spring Grove, Ill.	5	11-7	$458

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Dane Bondurant of Witt, Ill.	5	13-4	$1,963
2nd	Jojo Johnson of Benton, Ill.	3	9-3	$981
3rd	Tim Tresslar of Bloomington, Ill.	4	8-8	$655
4th	Alan Bernicky of Joliet, Ill.	3	7-3	$908
5th	Aaron Arning of Walnut Hill, Ill.	3	6-14	$393
6th	Patrick Lesicko of Staunton, Ill.	2	6-12	$625
7th	James Jarvis of West Frankfurt, Ill.	5	6-10	$327
8th	Brandon Depew of Odin, Ill.	2	6-5	$294
9th	Roman Perun of St. Louis, Mo.	3	6-1	$262
10th	Floyd Carder of Litchfield, Ill.	2	5-12	$217
10th	Drew Williams of Homer, Ill.	3	5-12	$217

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Patrick O’Dell of Windsor, Ill.	5-pound, 1-ounce bass	$530
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Patrick Lesicko of Staunton, Ill.	4-pound, 14-ounce bass	$265
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Brian Tschudy of Mascoutah, Ill.	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	Jig	Green Pumpkin
Strike King Co-Angler	Beaver	Green Pumpkin

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Illini Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Lake Norfork, Mountain Home, Ark.	Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce
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.

GALLATIN, Tenn.  (June 21, 2021) – Boater Joey Mallicoat of Lebanon, Tennessee wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, Tennessee. Mallicoat earned $4,652 for his victory at the event, hosted by Sumner County Tourism.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Joey Mallicoat of Lebanon, Tenn.	5	17-13	$4,652
2nd	Josh Womack of Gallatin, Tenn.	5	16-1	$2,326
3rd	Danny Abrams of Greensfork, Ind.	5	15-8	$1,551
4th	Matt Henry of Milledgeville, Ga.	5	15-5	$1,086
5th	Brady Duncan of Lebanon, Tenn.	5	14-15	$930
6th	Anthony Nash of Quebeck, Tenn.	5	14-10	$814
6th	Matt Allen of Bloomington Springs, Tenn.	5	14-10	$814
8th	Dale Rowland of Shelbyville, Tenn.	5	14-9	$948
9th	Jesse Rigsby of Old Hickory, Tenn.	5	14-6	$1,120
10th	David Gnewikow of Mt. Juliet, Tenn.	5	14-1	$743

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Joey Myers of Gallatin, Tenn.	5	12-2	$2,270
2nd	Colby Gaddy of Lebanon, Tenn.	5	10-7	$1,146
2nd	Josh Underhill of Watertown, Tenn.	5	10-7	$946
4th	Charles Bennington of Scottsville, Ky.	5	10-3	$530
5th	Jared Kutil of Beaufort, S.C.	5	10-2	$704
6th	Sam Loveless of Somerset, Ky.	5	10-0	$416
7th	Timothy Ernst of Winchester, Ky.	5	9-12	$378
8th	Christopher Stites, Jr. of La Vergne, Tenn.	4	9-9	$341
9th	Alex Gault of Flintville, Tenn.	5	8-14	$303
10th	Luke Alexander of Gallatin, Tenn.	4	8-11	$265

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	William Saddoris of Nashville, Tenn.	5-pound, 12-ounce bass	$685
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Brian Reed of Cookeville, Tenn.	4-pound, 9-ounce bass	$330
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Jesse Rigsby of Old Hickory, 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	Zoom Swimbait	Did Not Disclose
Strike King Co-Angler	Junk Fishing	Did Not Disclose

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Music City 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.

MARBURY, Md.  (June 20, 2021) – Rookie Jacopo Gallelli of Florence, Italy, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Sunday weighing 20 pounds even to win the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River . Gallelli’s four-day total of 20 bass weighing 65 pounds, 3 ounces earned him the win by a 2-pound, 5-ounce margin over pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, and the top prize of $100,000, making him the first European to ever win a professional bass-fishing event in the United States.

Link to Photo of Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Winner Jacopo Gallelli
Link to Photo Gallery of Gallelli’s Championship Day
Link to Video of Day 4 Championship Weigh-In from Federal Ammunition Stop 5 at the Potomac River
Link to Video of Fish Catch Highlights from Day 4 of Federal Ammunition Stop 5 at the Potomac River

Gallelli fished one area in Potomac Creek all four days of the competition – an area that produced the biggest limit of the tournament on Championship Sunday – where he moved back and forth, running to the top, then drifting down with the wind.

“It’s kind of amazing – It’s been such a long road and I’ve had so many things happen this season that just weren’t going my way, so to end up here with this win is absolutely amazing,” said Gallelli. “This trophy means way more than the money for me. I’ve invested my entire life trying to achieve this level of fishing in my career, and I am finally here. I came 5,000 miles across the ocean to make this day happen.

“It’s been such a sacrifice and the sacrifice has continually grown,” continued Gallelli. “If I go back home, I cannot keep competing. I’ve missed my son’s birthday, Christmas, New Years, Easter and now it sounds like I probably cannot go back to Italy until the beginning of the fall. But I will be coming back with something great. It’s not about the money – it’s about coming home with one of these [trophies].

“The only thing that would have made this a better Father’s Day celebration is if I were able to hold this trophy with my son,” continued an emotional Gallelli. “I dedicate this win to my son, Lapo – Ciao Lapo.”

Gallelli is the first European to ever win a high-level tournament in the U.S.

“Believe it or not, this is the very first event I have ever won in the United States,” said Gallelli. “I’ve had a lot of good results on the lower-level circuits, but never a win, so finally I’ve made my win happen when it really counts. This is as good as it can be. I feel like I am watching from outside my body right now. It’s just unbelievable.”

Gallelli went up against some of the biggest names in tournament bass-fishing on Championship Sunday, making the victory even more important for the rookie angler.

“I know I just beat some of the best in the sport, but honestly it’s not only my skill – it’s the support that I’ve had from everyone,” said Gallelli. “Thousands of people were cheering for me today from Italy and Europe, cheering like there was no future and I was about to win a soccer championship. I don’t even have the courage to open my phone. It’s been ringing and lighting up non-stop – everyone is calling and sending messages. 

“This win is not big because of me,” continued Gallelli. “It’s big because 40 years ago someone launched a bass-fishing tournament in Italy and one young kid started dreaming. I’d like to thank those pioneers of bass fishing in Europe for bringing this idea of fishing to Europe and to Italy.

“This is a win not only for me but for the entire European bass-fishing movement. It’s incredible.”

The top 10 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Federal Ammunition Stop 5 on the Potomac River finished:

                  1^st:           Jacopo Gallelli of Florence, Italy, 20 bass, 65-3, $100,000
                  2^nd:          Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 20 bass, 62-14, $30,000
                  3^rd:          Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho, 20 bass, 62-11, $25,700
                  4^th:           Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tenn., 20 bass, 60-14, $20,000
                  5^th:           Adrian Avena of Vineland, N.J., 20 bass, 60-1, $19,500
                  6^th:           Justin Cooper of Zwolle, La., 20 bass, 59-12, $18,000
                  7^th:           Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Mo., 20 bass, 59-5, $17,000
                  8^th:           Shin Fukae of Osaka, Japan, 20 bass, 59-4, $16,000
                  9^th:           Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., 20 bass, 58-3, $15,000
                  10^th:        Josh Bragg of Jacksonville, Ala., 20 bass, 56-3, $14,000

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

Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 149 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the final 10 pros Sunday. All of the final 10 pros brought a five-bass limit to the scales.

The four top performers who now qualify to compete in the MLF Bass Pro Tour Stage Six Presented by Googan Baits at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York, Aug. 5-10, are Jacopo Gallelli, Ricky Robinson, Justin Cooper and Lawson Hibdon.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River event will feature a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, August 29 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River is hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continued competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

About MLF BIG5
MLF BIG5 is part of MLF, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization. It provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits featuring a five-biggest-fish format. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with offices in Benton, Kentucky, MLF and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

MLF tournaments are broadcast on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, MyOutdoorTV, Discovery and CBS Sports while MLF Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros to the world’s most avid bass anglers.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (May 10, 2021) – Toyota Series angler Kirk Smith of Edmond, Oklahoma, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Lake Dardanelle Presented by Fenwick in Russellville, Arkansas. Mundy’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 51-3 earned him the win by a 6-pound margin over second-place angler Zach King of Clarksville, Arkansas, and earned Smith the top payout of $36,104 in the third and final tournament of the 2021 Toyota Series Plains Division.

Smith said he considers himself an offshore and electronics geek, a combo that helped him blow it out on Lake Dardanelle. While the majority of the field’s success seemed to go up and down throughout the event, Smith had a pattern like no one else that allowed him to lay off early the first two days and still be leading by an ounce.

Saturday, he finally got to show off what that pattern could do, bringing in 19 pounds, 15 ounces – the second-largest bag of the event – to blow away the field by 6 pounds with a 51-3 total.

“I never knew what I had (with my pattern), because I was letting up on on Days 1 and 2,” said Smith. “That final day, I absolutely unleashed the fury on them and just mashed them as hard as I could. Even I’m impressed with what I had.”

In practice, Smith said he was trying to find secret backwaters like many other pros, but it just wasn’t happening. Yet, while idling out of a pocket he inadvertently found something most people came across but simply overlooked.

“I was watching my side-imaging and noticed this little underwater point of grass and that’s when it all started,” said Smith. “I threw a waypoint on it and said, ‘huh, that looks good,’ but I didn’t know exactly where it was. So, I got up on the trolling motor and realized it was 15-20 feet off the bank. That’s when a lightbulb went off. The guys were either on the bank or the guys offshore were way offshore, out too deep. I knew no one else would be fishing that.”

Fishing mainly in the Shoal Bay and Thompson Creek area, Smith found grass points, isolated stumps and isolated stumps with grass that were far off the bank but not deep, and were not getting hit by anyone else. Best of all, Smith said he realized on Day 3 those spots were reloading thanks to the falling water, so it was just a matter of precisely hitting them.

Much like pros do over open water, Smith said he’d get in an area and troll around while watching his electronics for stumps and isolated grass patches. When he saw one, and if he saw a fish on it, he could nearly call his shot tossing a prototype ½-ounce BOOYAH swim jig with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer (both black-and-blue).

“I’m not much of a swim jig guy,” says Smith. “I’m a ¾-ounce, 25-feet of water guy. But getting that bait down there and swimming it, getting kind of aggressive with it was a big, big thing.”
The results spoke for themselves, with Smith catching a limit before 9 a.m. all three days of the tournament.

“It’s been a magical week,” said Smith. “I was talking to a buddy from the Muddy Water Mob before the week. I told him I’m feeling warm and fuzzy about this tournament. I can’t explain it, because when I saw this tournament on the schedule this year … Lake of the Ozarks, I can compete. Grand Lake, I can compete. Dardanelle, I thought I could just survive. So, winning this is just amazing.”

The top 10 pros on Lake Dardanelle finished:
            1^st:       Kirk Smith of Edmond, Okla., 15 bass, 51-3, $36,104
            2^nd:      Zach King of Clarksville, Ark., 15 bass, 45-3, $13,409
            3^rd:       Theron Caldwell of Decatur, Texas, 15 bass, 44-6, $10,381
            4^th:       Bruce Parsons of Arbela, Mo., 15 bass, 38-7, $10,151
            5^th:       Wayne Dixon of Morrilton, Ark., 15 bass, 37-12, $7,786
            6^th:       Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Okla., 15 bass, 37-0, $6,921
            7^th:       Fred Roumbanis of Russellville, Ark., 15 bass, 35-13, $6,056
            8^th:       Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo., 14 bass, 35-5, $5,191
            9^th:       Chip Hawkins of Little Rock, Ark., 12 bass, 34-9, $4,445
            10^th:     BJ Miller of Adams, Neb., 10 bass, 28-12, $3,579

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

Chip Hawkins of Little Rock, Arkansas, took home an additional $119 for the Day One Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces. BJ Miller of Adams, Nebraska, won the Day Two Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, bringing a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass to the scale.

Bruce Parsons of Arbela, Missouri, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF BIG5 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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Michael Carter of Raytown, Missouri, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 1 ounce. Carter took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake Dardanelle finished:1^st:       Michael Carter of Raytown, Mo., 10 bass, 26-1, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard2^nd:      Todd Brown of Bigelow, Ark., 11 bass, 25-7, $4,3943^rd:       Derrick Damon of Clarksville, Ark., nine bass, 24-5, $3,5944^th:       JP Northcutt of Grove, Okla., 10 bass, 24-5, $3,0765^th:       Dewey Larson of Fayetteville, Ark., 11 bass, 22-15, $2,6366^th:       Tyler Stuart of Manchester, Mo., 10 bass, 20-7, $2,1977^th:       Mark Powers of Platteville, Colo., 11 bass, 19-7, $1,7578^th:       Austin Ware of Willard, Mo., nine bass, 19-3, $1,538
9^th:       Roscoe White, III of Rogers, Ark., six bass, 16-8, $1,318
10^th:     Micheal Sharp of Calera, Okla., six bass, 14-13, $1,098
In the Strike King co-angler division, the $79 Day One Berkley Big Bass award winner was David Epema of Jefferson City, Missouri, with a 4-pound bass, 1-ounce bass, while the $79 Day Two award went to Derrick Damon of Clarksville, Arkansas, with a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass.

The Toyota Series at Lake Dardanelle was presented by Fenwick and was hosted by the Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission. It was the third and final regular-season tournament in 2021 for Plains Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on May 13-15 – the Toyota Series at the California Delta in Oakley, California. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, 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 presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.

BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (May 10, 2021) – Toyota Series angler Nick Thliveros of St. Augustine, Florida, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Thliveros’ three-day total of 15 bass weighing 62-11 earned him the win by a 1-pound, 12-ounce margin over second-place angler Matt Baty of Bainbridge, Georgia, and earned Thliveros the top payout of $37,809 in the third and final tournament of the 2021 Toyota Series Southern Division.

Settling down in Spring Creek, Thliveros said he fished one 50-yard stretch all week.

“It’s something I’ve had some previous knowledge on but I’ve never really been here at the right time for it,” said Thliveros. “I’ve never been here far enough in the postspawn to make those fish get in the deeper water.

“It’s basically a sand spot with hydrilla on the edge. The water’s about 10-foot deep around it and the sand is in 15 feet of water. It’s a depression and today they were on the sand.”

The unique aspect of his area was that Thliveros was essentially fishing side-by-side the fourth-place finisher Braxton Clements all three days. The two fished different areas all week, though the areas were nearly a cast apart.

“I have to give a huge shoutout to Braxton,” Thliveros said. “You got to watch him because that boy can fish and he is first class. We were 40 yards apart every day. I didn’t know him, but that’s a good man right there. We worked together – he had his hole, I had mine. We’d congratulate each other on catching fish all week and in this sport you don’t see that often, so to be a part of it is amazing.”

Thliveros said dissecting the grass and sand was a repetitive and meticulous process the entire week. Getting bites early in the day helped to reinforce the fact that the tiny spot still had fish and gave him the confidence to keep grinding.

“I’ve never been in a situation where you can go to one spot and just catch ‘em all three days,” he said. “Today, I could see them on my down imaging and I backed off and it was awesome.”

Thliveros kept it simple and a bit old school with two worms of choice – a Strike King Cut-R Worm or a Strike King Anaconda worm rigged on a 3/16- or ¼-ounce  Bullet Weights Tactical Tungsten  weight. Though he tried other baits, Thliveros said the worm was his primary producer.

“My dad has, you know, 35 years in [tournament fishing on a worm], so I had a pretty good teacher,” he said. “He taught me how to drag a worm and that’s what it took this week.”

With his family cheering him on from the crowd, Thliveros was emotional on stage when his name was announced as champion.

“It’s been two years since my last win,” he said. “I won Okeechobee [2019] and I hadn’t cashed a check since the end of that year, but I came back on this one. I’ve got to thank my family and sponsors, because without y’all I wouldn’t be here. I’m speechless.”

The top 10 pros on Lake Seminole finished:
            1^st:       Nick Thliveros of St. Augustine, Fla., 15 bass, 62-11, $37,809
            2^nd:      Matt Baty of Bainbridge, Ga., 15 bass, 60-15, $15,651
            3^rd:       Clint Brown of Bainbridge, Ga., 15 bass, 59-14, $11,343
            4^th:       Braxton Clements of Donalson, Ga., 15 bass, 51-3, $9,452
            5^th:       Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 15 bass, 50-04, $8,507
            6^th:       Brandon Classon, Sr. of Leesburg, Ga., 15 bass, 48-11, $7,562
            7^th:       David Ellis of Crestview, Fla., 11 bass, 47-7, $6,617
            8^th:       Anthony Ford of New Smyrna, Fla., 12 bass, 44-4, $5,671
            9^th:       Nicholas Davico of Cantonment, Fla., 12 bass, 42-2, $4,726
            10^th:     Terry Segraves of Kississimmee, Fla., 13 bass, 37-2, $3,781

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

Cole Hewett of Orange Park, Florida, took home an additional $136 for the Day One Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, with a bass weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Nolan Gaskin of Broussard, Louisiana, won the Day Two Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, bringing an 6-pound, 12-ounce bass to the scale.

Pro Matt Baty of Bainbridge, Georgia, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF BIG5 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 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Stephen Draghi of Sparrowbush, New York won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 34 pounds, 6 ounces. Draghi took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake Seminole finished:1^st:       Stephen Draghi of Sparrowbush, N.Y., 13 bass, 34-6, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2^nd:      Joe Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 11 bass, 32-3, $4,762
3^rd:       Allen Carter of Bainbridge, Ga., 13 bass, 31-5, $3,809
4^th:       Brandon St. Pierre of Cape Coral, Fla., 12 bass, 28-7, $3,333
5^th:       John Stahl of Land O’Lakes, Fla., 10 bass, 26-1, $2,947
6^th:       Gary Haraguchi of San Jose, Calif., eight bass, 23-13, $2,381
7^th:       Ronald Young of New Braunfels, Texas, eight bass, 21-9, $1,905
8^th:       George Kapiton of Inverness, Fla., eight bass, 21-6, $1,667
9^th:       John Ebbe of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc., seven bass, 20-7, $1,428
10^th:     Mark Denney, Jr. of Perry, Ga., 10 bass, 19-0, $1,515
In the Strike King co-angler division, the $90 Day One Berkley Big Bass award winner was Charles Tucker of Eustis, Florida, with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass, while the $90 Day Two award went to John Stahl of Land O’Lakes, Florida, with a 7-pound, 10-ounce bass.

The Toyota Series at Lake Seminole was hosted by the Bainbridge Convention and Visitors Bureau. It was the third and final regular-season tournament in 2021 for Southern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place May 13-15 – the Toyota Series at the California Delta in Oakley, California. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com .

The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, 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 presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.

JASPER, Ala. (May 4, 2021) – Boater Jordan Wiggins of Cullman, Alabama, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Alabama. Wiggins earned $5,839 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County.
TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Jordan Wiggins of Cullman, Ala.	5	17-6	$5,839
2nd	John Simmons of Jasper, Ala.	5	14-3	$2,419
3rd	Andy Chappell of Warrior, Ala.	5	14-0	$1,614
4th	Justin Blalock of Cullman, Ala.	5	13-12	$1,859
5th	Lee Black of Danville, Ala.	5	13-8	$968
6th	Wesley Smith of Vinemont, Ala.	5	13-6	$846
6th	Destry Ford of Tuscaloosa, Ala.	5	13-6	$1,346
8th	Ethan Flack of Baileyton, Ala.	5	13-4	$726
9th	Carl Hayes, III of Eatonton, Ga.	5	13-3	$645
10th	Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala.	5	12-15	$536
10th	Cameron Robinson of Jasper, Ala.	5	12-15	$536

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Michael Benson of Cullman, Ala.	5	11-7	$2,419
2nd	Chaz McMahan of Leoma, Tenn.	5	11-5	$1,210
3rd	Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tenn.	5	11-3	$807
4th	William Maddox of Trussville, Ala.	5	10-15	$565
5th	Troy Calloway of Sylacauga, Ala.	5	10-13	$484
6th	Brad Smith of Montevallo, Ala.	5	10-12	$769
7th	Willie Hill of  Tuskegee, Ala.	5	10-9	$403
8th	Randy Wiggins of Birmingham, Ala.	5	10-5	$363
9th	Daniel Corkern of Florence, Miss.	5	10-1	$302
9th	Terry Harper of Ranburne, Ala.	5	10-1	$302

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Justin Blalock of Cullman, Ala.	5-pound, 14-ounce bass	$730
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Jacob Robinson of Temple, Ga.	4-pound, 11-ounce bass	$365
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Destry Ford of Tuscaloosa, Ala.	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	Unspecified Shaky Head	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Unspecified Berkley MaxScent	N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Bama 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.

LAVONIA, Ga.  (May 4, 2021) – Boater Mitchell Pare of Statesboro, Georgia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hartwell in Lavonia, Georgia. Pare earned $4,072 for his victory at the event.
 TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Mitchell Pare of Statesboro, Ga.	5	15-14	$4,072
2nd	Tra Dumit of Greer, S.C.	5	14-6	$1,796
3rd	Ronnie Wilson of Kings Mountain, N.C.	5	13-14	$1,201
4th	Sammy Moody of Piedmont, S.C.	5	13-13	$1,338
5th	Matthew Guffey of Simpsonville, S.C.	5	12-12	$718
6th	John Bitter of Maitland, Fla.	5	12-9	$659
7th	Steve Thornhill of Pineville, S.C.	5	11-12	$599
8th	Roger Vinson of Flowery Branch, Ga.	5	11-7	$539
9th	Lane Gerbers of Blackstock, S.C.	5	10-11	$479
10th	James Wade of Loris, S.C.	5	10-9	$419

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Harold Addison, II of Columbia, S.C.	5	10-4	$1,796
2nd	Brandon Hendrix of Anderson, S.C.	5	9-15	$898
3rd	Samuel Jones of Raleigh, N.C.	5	9-9	$598
4th	Wayne Hancock of Cumming, Ga.	5	8-13	$419
5th	Kenny Mathis of Boiling Springs, S.C.	5	8-5	$359
6th	Tim Chadwick of Mount Pleasant, S.C.	5	8-4	$329
7th	Westley Denny of Westminster, S.C.	5	8-1	$299
8th	Brian Bultman of Aiken, S.C.	5	7-7	$269
9th	Gage Spagnola of Columbia, S.C.	5	7-3	$239
10th	Ken Hodges of Hodges, S.C.	5	7-2	$210

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Mitchell Pare of Statesboro, Ga.	4-pound, 15-ounce bass	$230
Boater Big Bass	Brian Anthony of Pickens, S.C.	4-pound, 15-ounce bass	$230
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Jace Ramey of Easely, S.C.	4-pound, 9-ounce bass	$230
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Sammy Moody of Piedmont, S.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	Unspecified Jig/Blades	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Unspecified Jerkbait/Dropshot	N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
South Carolina 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.

DANDRIDGE, Tenn.  (May 4, 2021) – Boater Gregory McDavid of Blountville, Tennessee, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee. McDavid earned $13,056 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism.
TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Gregory McDavid of Blountville, Tenn.	5	18-8	$13,056
2nd	Jeremy Shuman of Louisville, Tenn.	5	16-0	$2,403
3rd	Jacob McCray of Big Stone Gap, Va.	5	15-5	$1,605
4th	Rocky Huff of Chilhowie, Va.	5	14-11	$1,121
5th	Curtis Hoskins of LaFollette, Tenn.	5	14-7	$961
6th	Nick Hatfield of Greeneville, Tenn.	5	14-4	$881
7th	Michael Anderson of Knoxville, Tenn.	5	14-0	$801
8th	Bryant Ailor of Knoxville, Tenn.	5	13-11	$721
9th	Philip Gordon of Middlesboro, Ky.	5	13-9	$641
10th	Hunter Price of Morristown, Tenn.	5	13-8	$561

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Matthew Jones of Bean Station, Tenn.	5	14-0	$2,415
2nd	Jeff Short of Bean Station, Tenn.	5	13-0	$1,207
3rd	Dusty Kelley of Kingsport, Tenn.	5	12-4	$806
4th	Travis Pridemore of White Pine, Tenn.	5	11-13	$523
4th	Mike Holtsclaw of Limestone, Tenn.	5	11-13	$523
6th	Lloyd Pickett, Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn.	5	11-7	$422
6th	Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tenn.	5	11-7	$422
8th	Harrison Heins of Knoxville, Tenn.	5	10-8	$362
9th	Bradley Stringfield of Oliver Springs, Tenn.	5	10-4	$322
10th	Konnor Sweet of Abingdon, Va.	5	10-3	$282

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Brian Vicchio of Gray, Tenn.	5-pound bass	$725
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Matthew Jones of Bean Station, Tenn.	4-pound, 13-ounce bass	$360
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Gregory McDavid of Blountville, Tenn.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$7,000

* 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	Unspecified Swim Bait/Jig	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Neko Rig	N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Volunteer 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.

HENDERSON, N.C.  (May 4, 2021) – Boater James Blankenship of Siler City, North Carolina, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Blankenship earned $5,488 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority.
TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	James Blankenship of Siler City, N.C.	5	19-9	$5,488
2nd	Billy Shelton, III of La Crosse, Va.	5	18-2	$3,824
3rd	Aaron Falwell of Forest, Va.	5	16-8	$1,829
4th	Wesley Cashwell of Roanoke Rapids, N.C.	5	16-3	$1,281
5th	Larry Church of Keysville, Va.	5	15-11	$1,098
6th	Kevin Kane of Woodbridge, Va.	5	15-10	$1,006
7th	Alden Patterson of Mebane, N.C.	5	15-9	$915
8th	Greg Lahr of Fayetteville, N.C.	5	15-3	$823
9th	Wayne Burchett of Pulaski, Va.	5	14-11	$732
10th	Brian Morgan of Mooresville, N.C.	5	14-10	$640

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1st	Kenneth Brown of Leesburg, Va.	5	18-1	$2,744
2nd	Lenny Baird of Stafford, Va.	5	14-1	$2,012
3rd	Matthew Waldron of Wake Forest, M.C.	5	11-10	$702
3rd	Christopher Mills of Manassa, Va.	5	11-10	$702
3rd	Timothy Kinder of Manassas, Va.	4	11-10	$952
6th	Jason Hinger of Tinberlake, N.C.	5	11-7	$503
7th	Tanner Glasglow of Newport News, Va.	5	11-4	$457
8th	Scott Howard of Bedford, Va.	5	11-2	$389
8th	Philip Ragland, Jr. of Fairfield, Va.	5	11-2	$389
10th	Anthony Pulley of Chester, Va.	5	10-14	$320

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Billy Shelton, III of La Crosse, Va.	6-pound, 7-ounce bass	$880
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Lenny Baird of Stafford, Va.	5-pound, 5-ounce bass	$440
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Tyler Trent of Nathalie, 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	Unspecified Jig	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Carolina Rig	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.