Pro Circuit/Toyota Series/Bass Fishing League (BFL)/College Fishing/High School Fishing/Marshall

Indiana’s Hochstetler Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake St. Clair

Photo's courtesy of MLF

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEWEST GEAR FROM ICAST

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

            10th:     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.