THE LATEST NEWS
B.A.S.S. Reschedules Central Open Amid Flooding
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Heavy rainfall across central Alabama over the past two weeks has caused water levels to soar and the Smith Lake Public Boat Ramp to flood, prompting B.A.S.S. and local officials to postpone the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Lewis Smith Lake until Oct. 7-9, 2021.
According to Alabama Power Company, Lewis Smith Lake is expected to reach 8 feet above summer pool levels by Monday, with more rain in the forecast.
“Due to excessive rainfall, the continued threat of severe weather and rising water levels on Lewis Smith Lake, we agree with the decision made by B.A.S.S. to reschedule the Bassmaster Central Open Tournament that was scheduled for April 1-3,” said Linda Lewis, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County. “Safety is always our top priority for anglers, Bassmaster staff and local volunteers. We appreciate the continued partnership with B.A.S.S. in bringing these tournaments to our community.”
All payments will be transferred to the new tournament date. Any angler who wishes to cancel their tournament registration may email the B.A.S.S. tournament department at an@bassmaster.com for a refund.
The Chamber of Commerce of Walker County is hosting the event.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The post B.A.S.S. Reschedules Central Open Amid Flooding appeared first on Bass365.com.
Major League Fishing Pros Partner With Toro For Spring Clean Up At Texas Marine’s Residence
JASPER, Texas (March 25, 2021) – While 40 Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour anglers were out competing on Sam Rayburn Reservoir Tuesday, the real work was taking place off the water. Toro-sponsored anglers Brent Chapman and Jeff Sprague were joined by fellow pros Skeet Reese and James Watson for a “Spring Clean Up” event at the residence of local Jasper resident, Kamron Slaydon.
Slaydon was raised in Jasper, Texas, and graduated from Jasper High School in 2018. Immediately after graduation, Slaydon joined the U.S. Marine Corp and committed his life to serving our country. However, in January of 2019, while at home in Jasper while on leave, Slaydon was severely injured in an accidental shooting which damaged his C4 and C5 vertebrae, resulting in him being a quadriplegic.
Since the accident, Slaydon has spent the last two years doing everything possible in an effort to regain his independence. He has visited multiple physicians, therapists and specialists and spent hundreds of hours doing numerous different treatments and therapies. Slaydon and his family are raising money to help with the expense of an epidural stimulator to help him regain as much mobility as he can in his upper and lower extremities.
When the MLF anglers learned of Slaydon’s story, they immediately wanted to do something to help. Sprague and Chapman called in a few favors and the idea for a “Spring Clean Up” event was born. Sprague and Chapman recruited their fellow competitors, Reese and Watson, and arranged for Toro distributor, Professional Turf Products and a local Toro dealer, Scooter’s Lawnmower in Beaumont, Texas to allow them to use the equipment. The group of anglers spent a few hours on their day off Tuesday doing yard work for the Slaydon family, mowing, trimming and blowing the entire residence.
“We wanted to do something to give back, and this is one of those things that maybe doesn’t seem like much, but it’s one of those chores that just needs to get done and we were more than happy to come out here and meet Kamron and do some yard work for him and his family,” Chapman said.
“It was great for Toro to step up and help out the way they did today, and their equipment made the job quick and easy,” Chapman continued. “We are incredibly lucky to be able to fish for a living, so the least we could do on our day off is to come out here and give back a little bit and thank Kamron for his service to our country.” Sprague manned the Toro Z Master 4000 MyRide zero-turn mower, while Chapman trimmed the entire property with a Toro 60V Battery String Trimmer. Reese was assigned the Toro 22-inch Recycler All-Wheel Drive walk-behind mower and Watson was given the Toro 60V Battery Leaf Blower to clean up the trimmings around the house, because “Watson is used to blowing a lot of hot air,” Sprague joked. The clean-up event took about two hours and when the anglers were finished the Slaydon family was grateful.
“It really means a lot just for someone to reach out and want to help, and then to show up and be such a great help and great conversation,” Slaydon said. “I enjoyed meeting the guys and talking about hunting and fishing, and they cleaned up our yard quickly and efficiently.”
“Words are powerless to express my appreciation,” said Jodi Slaydon, Kamron’s mother. “For the guys to take their day off and come out to show support for Kamron was amazing to witness. I think Kamron’s heart was full of gratitude and appreciation and he can’t wait to watch these anglers succeed on the water.
“Kamron has always worked hard to achieve the goals he has set for his life, and so many have already been accomplished. He’s a determined young man, full of positive vibes and strong in his faith. With a little help and support from friends, family and people like y’all – there will be no limit to his achievements. We are very thankful.”
As a thank you to Slaydon for his service, the anglers donated a jersey autographed by many of the anglers competing in the Bass Pro Tour event at Sam Rayburn. The Slaydon family has a few upcoming fundraising events scheduled to help raise money for their medical expenses, so a second jersey was donated to raise money for their silent auction, and the semi-local Sprague donated a four-hour fishing trip on an East Texas fishery on behalf of Toro, also to be auctioned off.
“Even though we were working, we had a lot of fun today,” said Sprague. “The strength that Kamron has, and his perseverance to get through the obstacles that life has thrown at him are truly inspirational. My hat goes off to that young man and his family and I am grateful that we had the opportunity to give back a little bit and do our part.”
For Major League Fishing fans in East Texas looking to support Slaydon, two upcoming fundraisers are currently scheduled. A Skeet Shoot, Crawfish Boil and Auction benefit is scheduled for Saturday, March 27 at 10 a.m. at 214 County Road 259 in Jasper, and a Barbecue Cook-Off and Washer Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at the Jasper Country Club.
For fans unable to make it to Jasper but still wishing to support Kamron Slaydon and his family, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money for their medical and travel expenses. To donate, visit GoFundMe.com.
“One of the biggest things about my injury is just having the opportunity to overcome something that’s larger than yourself,” Slaydon went on to say. “Hopefully I am able to inspire someone – to overcome this and inspire people that are facing their own struggles. You can overcome things, especially if you put your mind to it.”
For more photos from the “Spring Clean Up” at the Slaydon residence, click here.
The post Major League Fishing Pros Partner With Toro For Spring Clean Up At Texas Marine’s Residence appeared first on Bass365.com.
Lucas Wins Knockout Round, Final 10 Anglers Set for Finale at Major League Fishing’s Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Alabama Pro Has Best Single Day of Tournament to Advance to Championship Round
JASPER, Texas (March 25, 2021) – Berkley pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, had the highest single-day weight total of the entire event Thursday, catching nine bass totaling 36 pounds, 13 ounces to win the Knockout Round and advance at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . The final 10 anglers are now set and competition will resume Friday morning with the Championship Round, the sixth and final day of competition. Weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the most weight will win the top prize of $100,000.
The top eight pros from Thursday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Friday’s Championship Round on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 36-13
2nd: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 10 bass, 27-15
3rd: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., seven bass, 24-0
4th: Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, eight bass, 23-15
5th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., seven bass, 22-7
6th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., eight bass, 21-11
7th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., six bass, 20-10
8th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., six bass, 19-2
They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:
Group A: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Group B: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
Lucas said that he took a finesse approach with a drop-shot rig, a strategy he adopted after a solid round on Wednesday.
“I was trying to force myself to catch fish on the bank and they just weren’t there,” Lucas said. “There’s millions of fish in this lake and they all aren’t on the bank. I’m finding them on big grass flats in 3 or 4 feet of water. They’re prespawn and spawning out there.”
Lucas caught the majority of his fish on the drop-shot rig, but it was a big swimbait fish he caught during Wednesday that really brought the finesse mindset to the forefront.
“When I caught that 7-14 on a swimbait on Wednesday, I knew that I needed to switch things up,” Lucas said. “I told myself to back off these fish, get away from the bank and look for areas in these flats where they can be spawning or staging. It worked out and I think I know how I’m going to attack tomorrow.”
The SCORETRACKER® provided plenty of drama for fans and anglers alike Thursday afternoon, especially for anglers trying to finish above the Toro Cut Line. Pro Mark Davis led the Qualifying Group B Round on his first day at Sam Rayburn but found himself outside the top eight with only 20 minutes remaining in the Knockout Round.
Davis was able to find some new water and brought in a crucial 6½-pound largemouth to rocket up SCORETRACKER® and into the top eight. As he took his boat out of the water and prepared himself to fish another Championship Round, Davis expressed the relief he felt after landing that bass.
“That fish meant everything to me,” Davis said. “I could only figure out one way to get a bite all day, and that was with a Carolina rig. To be able to catch that fish right there at the end and lock up a second-straight Top-10 finish was a great feeling.”
Luke Clausen was another angler who found himself outside of the top eight with time winding down. The Washington pro added a 2-14, 4-3 and 3-14 over the final two hours to lock up a spot in the Championship Round.
“I was getting really stressed because I went from third place to out of the top eight in such a hurry,” Clausen recapped. “I caught that 3-14 in the final few minutes to secure my spot and I’m glad I did because I was afraid I was going to fall out. I’m excited to get out there tomorrow and give it a shot at winning this thing.”
Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:
9th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 18-9
10th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., six bass, 16-11
11th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 16-11
12th: Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, six bass, 16-9
13th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, five bass, 16-7
14th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., six bass, 16-2
15th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 16-0
16th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., seven bass, 15-11
17th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 15-6
18th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., three bass, 14-3
19th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., six bass, 13-7
20th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 12-3
21st: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 10-10
22nd: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, four bass, 9-11
23rd: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., four bass, 9-6
24th: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., three bass, 9-6
25th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., four bass, 9-5
26th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., three bass, 9-2
27th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., three bass, 8-12
28th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 8-6
29th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., three bass, 8-2
30th: Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., three bass, 7-11
31st: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., three bass, 6-12
32nd: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., three bass, 6-10
33rd: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., two bass, 6-4
34th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., two bass, 4-14
35th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., two bass, 4-9
36th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., one bass, 2-8
37th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., one bass, 2-7
38th: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., zero bass, 0-0
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
There were 176 bass weighing 508 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 37 pros Thursday, which included four 6-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Shuffield won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award on Thursday, catching a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth in Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After the two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advanced to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the winner from each group advanced directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, the weights were zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Founded in 2011, Major League Fishing (MLF) brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms on Outdoor Channel, Discovery, CBS, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, Sportsman Channel, and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). According to Nielsen ratings, Major League Fishing remains the number one series on Outdoor Channel for five years and MLF premiered as the number one outdoor show in their time slot on Discovery in 2019.
In 2019 MLF acquired FLW, which expands their portfolio to include the world’s largest grassroots-fishing organization, including the strongest five-biggest-fish format professional bass fishing tour, the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, as well as the MLF Toyota Series, MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine, MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI, and MLF U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing.
The post Lucas Wins Knockout Round, Final 10 Anglers Set for Finale at Major League Fishing’s Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir appeared first on Bass365.com.
Spohrer Wins Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Louisiana Angler Catches Two-Day Total of 50 Pounds to Advance Directly to Friday’s Championship Round to Compete for $100,000, Field of 38 Set for Thursday’s Knockout Round
JASPER, Texas (March 24, 2021) – Pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, boated eight scorable bass Wednesday weighing 23 pounds, 14 ounces to win the two-day Qualifying Group B round at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . Spohrer’s two-day total of 15 bass weighing 50 pounds even earned him the victory by a 2-pound, 1-ounce margin and advances him directly into Friday’s final-day Championship Round of competition. The six-day tournament is being filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year and live-streamed online.
Pro Randall Tharp of Port Saint Joe, Florida, caught a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 47-15 to end the round in second place, and Japanese pro Shinichi Fukae finished the round in third place with a two-day total of 15 bass weighing 43-13.
The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from Group A and 19 from Group B – will now compete Thursday in the Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to Championship Friday. Friday’s Championship Round will feature Group A winner Ott DeFoe, Group B winner Spohrer, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.
“This is my first round that I’ve won with Major League Fishing, and it’s overwhelming the joy that I have right now,” Spohrer said. “Duking it out with my buddy, Randall Tharp, right at the end was exciting, and to get to do it right here, on Sam Rayburn, is a big deal to me.”
Spohrer credited his equipment as being the key to his success – the same 7-foot Quantum Smoke heavy-action casting rod paired with a Quantum Smoke 8:1 reel and spooled with 50-pound-test Seaguar Smackdown braided line (stealth gray) has caught every one of his fish this week.
“I’ve been a one-trick pony the last two days,” Spohrer said. “If you’ve been watching the live stream, you probably saw how deep I was getting my swimjig into the wood and dragging those fish out of there. It’s all worked out for me and I can’t tell you how happy I am.
“Now I get a day off and I’m going to get ready for the Championship Round,” Spohrer went on to say. “There will only be 10 of us, so I start the year automatically with a top-10 finish and now I’ve got a real legitimate chance to compete for that red trophy. I can’t wait.”
Despite his second-place finish, Tharp was very happy to see his good friend win and advance directly to the Championship Round.
“That’s why I’ve always loved tournament fishing – when it comes down to the last second, the last cast, and having the opportunity like I did,” Tharp said. “My hat’s off to Gerald. I hope I made him sweat a little bit, because I sure had a good time this afternoon. I had my opportunities.”
Tharp said that he relied on just two rods Wednesday, and likely would only use two in the Knockout Round as well.
“Basically, I’m just flipping bushes and trees, and anything in front of me,” the Florida pro said. “I threw a Zoom Z-Hog with a 5/16-ounce weight and a straight shank flipping hook. Later in the day I picked up a little frog and that baby was awful good to me today. The average bite on the frog was way better than the flipping bite. I’m probably going to keep those two rods in my hand all day tomorrow and go to work and hopefully make the Championship Round.”
An emotional Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was the last man in, finishing the day in 20th place.
“Thank God, man. It has been such a stressful day,” Kriet said. “I needed this. I’ve been sucking, and I haven’t been catching them. Last year, in the first two tournaments of the year, I finished like dead last. I only made a couple of cuts last year. I need a good year, badly. This gives me confidence and that’s important, because I’d lost all confidence. I was literally thinking I might have to hang this stuff up. I know it’s not like I won the tournament today, but making the cut really means a lot to me. It’s not easy to do. And it’s some positive momentum. I’m tickled that I get to come back out here, tomorrow.”
Kriet credited two baits – a wacky-rigged Big Bite Baits Trick Stick and a Big Bite Baits Methiolate Floating Worm – for his success in the Qualifying Round.
The post Spohrer Wins Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir appeared first on Bass365.com.
DeFoe Cruises to Win Qualifying Group A of Major League Fishing’s Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Tennessee pro Advances Directly to Friday’s Championship Round, 19 Anglers Advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round
JASPER, Texas (March 23, 2021) – Pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, caught 14 bass Tuesday totaling 34 pounds, 4 ounces to vault to the top of the leaderboard and win the two-day Qualifying Group A round at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . DeFoe’s two-day total of 25 bass weighing 59 pounds, 11 ounces earned him the win by a 9½-pound margin and now advances him directly into the Championship Round of competition, set for Friday. The six-day tournament is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.
Alabama’s Dustin Connell, the reigning REDCREST Champion, caught a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 50-3 to finish the round in second place, while day one leader Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, boated a two-day total of 13 bass weighing 41-10 to end the round in third place.
The top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off day, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition on Wednesday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Thursday. Friday’s Championship Round will feature DeFoe, Wednesday’s Group B winner, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.
“It’s such a huge relief to win and not have to come back out here to compete in the Knockout Round,” DeFoe said. “And now, I don’t have to beat my fish up again and the way I’ve been fishing that is a huge, huge plus. I can let those fish rest and don’t have to try to catch them two days in a row. I only have to come back out when it really matters, so I’m very excited about that.”
DeFoe got off to a fast start, catching eight scorable bass in Period 1, but his day slowed immensely in the final two periods with just two scorable bass in Period 2 and a three-fish flurry right around 3:30 p.m. in the final period. He said that he caught his fish on five different moving baits.
“What worked for me on Sunday morning worked again for me this morning, and that got me off to a really solid start,” DeFoe said. “The midday deal was a lot harder for me today. I spent a lot of the final period looking and I finally hit a place that was good and caught the three scorable fish really quick in the final period. I might have figured a little something out, and that could be a difference maker for me in the end.”
DeFoe plans to return to the same areas during Friday’s Championship Round and said he hopes it will have enough to earn him his second Texas victory on the Bass Pro Tour in two seasons.
“I’m all in on where I’m at,” DeFoe went on to say. “I’m incredibly excited to get back out there – equally as excited as I was last year for the final day on Lake Athens.”
Other than DeFoe’s 34-pound day, Spring City, Tennessee’s Wesley Strader had the second-highest weight on the day, catching six bass totaling 28 pounds, 15 ounces – including a 8-9 and a 6-1. Strader’s two-day total of 10 bass for 39-5 landed him in fifth place.
“We had a really fun day today,” the Tennessee pro said. “Hopefully things keep improving and we can expand a little bit on what we had going this morning. I’m looking forward to spending tomorrow regrouping and getting retied and everything ready to go for the Knockout Round.”
Although DeFoe’s 9½-pound margin of victory didn’t really lend much dramatics at the top of the leaderboard, the race to finish above the Toro Cut Line inside the top 20 proved very intense. Pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Arizona, boated a 3-pound, 3-ouncer, with less than 10 minutes remaining in Period 3 to move into the Cut Line and knock out Texan Alton Jones, who finished in 21st place.
“Wow, that was intense. That, right there, is what Major League Fishing is all about – fish hard right to the end and never give up,” Hite said. “I had a rough day, and I worked my butt off. I had a real tough morning, but made the decision to make a long run at the end of the second period into the third period and it ended up being the right call. That’s one of the biggest things out here – you have to go with your gut and trust that you are making the right decision. Today, it paid off, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out here on Thursday.”
The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group A that now advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 25 bass, 59-11 (ADVANCES DIRECTLY TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND)
2nd: Dustin Connell. Clanton, Ala., 16 bass, 50-3
3rd: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 13 bass, 41-10
4th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 39-5
5th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 12 bass, 34-2
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 31-12
7th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 13 bass, 30-15
8th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., nine bass, 30-9
9th: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., nine bass, 30-7
10th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., 10 bass, 30-1
11th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 12 bass, 29-4
12th: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., six bass, 28-0
13th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 11 bass, 27-9
14th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 10 bass, 26-10
15th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., nine bass, 26-2
16th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 25-15
17th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., six bass, 25-10
18th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., eight bass, 25-1
19th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., eight bass, 23-0
20th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., eight bass, 22-0
Full results for the field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
| Overall, there were 149 bass weighing 434 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 38 pros Tuesday, which included two 8-pounders, two 7-pounders, two 6-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Pace won Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in an 8-pound, 11-ounce largemouth which bit a jerkbait in Period 1. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament. The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce. The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship. The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app. Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition. For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. |
|
About Major League Fishing Founded in 2011, Major League Fishing (MLF) brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms on Outdoor Channel, Discovery, CBS, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, Sportsman Channel, and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). According to Nielsen ratings, Major League Fishing remains the number one series on Outdoor Channel for five years and MLF premiered as the number one outdoor show in their time slot on Discovery in 2019. In 2019 MLF acquired FLW, which expands their portfolio to include the world’s largest grassroots-fishing organization, including the strongest five-biggest-fish format professional bass fishing tour, the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, as well as the MLF Toyota Series, MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine, MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI, and MLF U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing. |
The post DeFoe Cruises to Win Qualifying Group A of Major League Fishing’s Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir appeared first on Bass365.com.