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.
