Remembering 9/11

 

Scroll Less. Stroll More. Meet the Berkley Doom Stroller

 New Doom Stroller combines hard bait durability, improved casting control and natural minnow action for forward-facing sonar anglers.

Minnow-style baits have become one of the most effective tools for targeting suspended bass with forward-facing sonar, but they don’t come without compromises. Designed to evolve the technique, the new Berkley Doom Stroller combines hard bait durability with precision weighting, natural rolling action and improved hookup ratios. Purpose-built for today's forward-facing sonar angler, the Doom Stroller delivers a more consistent presentation while giving anglers another option for targeting pressured bass.

 

Unlike traditional soft plastic minnow rigs that often require constant bait changes and precise rigging, the Doom Stroller delivers a repeatable presentation cast after cast. A precision-tuned internal weighting system produces natural rolling action across a wide range of retrieve speeds, while the upward tail position imitates an isolated baitfish. Finished with a strategically positioned top treble hook to maximize hookups, the Doom Stroller gives anglers an easier-to-fish, more durable option without sacrificing the action that makes the technique so effective.

B.A.S.S. announces 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series will take anglers from some of the most storied largemouth fisheries in the South to premier smallmouth destinations in the North as B.A.S.S. unveils a nine-event regular-season schedule built to test versatility from start to finish.

The season will open Feb. 11-14 on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Fla., before moving one week later to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee. From there, the Elite field will head west and work through a mix of tidal rivers, legendary reservoirs and complex river systems before closing the season with northern stops on Lake St. Clair and the Mississippi River.

Z‑Man ChatterBait PZ2: Premium Performance, Unbeatable Value

 

The ChatterBait® PZ2™ delivers proven ChatterBait® vibration and durability at an unbeatable value. Featuring a streamlined head, custom 5/0 heavy-duty hook, secure trailer keeper, and stainless hex-shaped ChatterBlade®, it produces hard-thumping action cast after cast. Premium skirts, hand-painted heads, and 3D eyes complete a big-fish package built to perform without breaking the bank.

Berkley Introduces the SlapGill, a New Topwater Bait That Mimics Distressed Panfish

Panfish profile, action, and color to entice even the most pressured bass

Berkley is once again focusing on ultra-realism with the all-new SlapGill, a topwater bait designed to combine biological accuracy with an action that replicates a panfish's natural distress signals. Precisely placed weights allow the SlapGill to produce a side-to-side flop while walking before naturally rocking back to rest, creating the signature surface "slap" that inspired its name. Designed to be worked slowly around shallow cover, the SlapGill delivers an enticing presentation built to trigger aggressive strikes from bass.

 

Available in two sizes and seven high-detail, panfish-inspired colorways, the SlapGill gives anglers options to match a variety of forage with precision. Each bait is equipped with ultra-sharp Fusion19 treble hooks for reliable hookups when fish commit.

 

New Minn Kota & Humminbird Collaboration

Minn Kota and Humminbird have spent decades fishing together. On 10/6/26, that relationship enters a whole new chapter.

We can’t share the full story just yet, but we wanted to make sure you were among the first to see what’s coming. 

Canadian Evan Kung Wins 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River!

Cory Johnston finishes 4th

Canadian pro Evan Kung has won the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a four-day total of 109 pounds, 9 ounces and officially qualified for the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. (Photo: Seigo Saito/BASS)

BASS Press Release

CLAYTON, N.Y. — Evan Kung entered this week's Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River in danger of losing his spot on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series for 2027. Not only did he save his spot on tour, the Canadian went ahead and won his first B.A.S.S. trophy, breaking records as he did it.

Kung blasted a four-day total of 109 pounds, 9 ounces to claim his first blue trophy, the heaviest winning weight consisting of all smallmouth in Bassmaster history, overtaking Patrick Walters 105-pound winning total at the St. Lawrence River in 2023. He also became a member of the Bassmaster Century Club for the first time. 

The victory also qualifies Kung for the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops next March.

“This is by far my biggest win,” Kung said. “It was a tough year for me, so it was great to end it like this. I couldn’t think of a better ending.” 

The second-year pro was in contention all week, opening the tournament in fourth place with a limit weighing 26-9 before jumping to second place on Day 2 with 28-9. He maintained second by landing 26-11 on Semifinal Saturday before taking the top spot with a sack weighing 27-12, a limit anchored by a 6-13 smallie that earned Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day honors. 

Trey McKinney Wins 2026 Bassmaster Elite AOY, Cory Johnston 2nd!

BASS Press Release

CLAYTON, N.Y. — Trey McKinney has finally defeated the Johnstons.

Thanks to a second-place finish in a heavy-weight battle at the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River, the third-year pro from Carbondale, Ill., claimed his first Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, earning 735 points over the nine-event season to outlast Canadian Cory Johnston and become the youngest angler ever to win the prestigious trophy.

The previous owner of that title: Kevin VanDam, who was 24 when he won his first AOY in 1992. 

“This feels unbelievable,” McKinney said. “When I caught the 6-pounder later in the day, I knew that bass had won me $100,000 and Angler of the Year, something I have dreamed of all of my life. I choked trying to win it for the last two years and have been so close. Then I immediately thought about trying to win the tournament.

“It was a grinder year for sure. I was up, down, sideways, behind, ahead. I respect Cory so much. He caught them so many times when I didn’t.”

With the $100,000 check, McKinney now has over $900 thousand in career earnings. He is on pace to become one of the greatest tournament anglers ever, but for McKinney, his next bite is still the most important.

2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River Day 3: Trey McKinney Leads (Trey extends AOY spread over Cory Johnston)

Canadians: Kung 2nd, Cory Johnston 9th, Chris Johnston 9th & Gustafson 39th

Illinois pro Trey McKinney maintains the lead on Day 3 of the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a three-day total of 83 pounds, 5 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release 

CLAYTON, N.Y. — Trey McKinney was so nervous ahead of Day 3 of the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River, he nearly threw up on the side of the road driving to takeoff. It didn’t get much better until he landed his first quality smallmouth of the day, a 5-10 that calmed his nerves and carried him to another excellent day on Lake Ontario.

The three-year pro from Carbondale, Ill., leads the tournament with a three-day total weighing 83 pounds, 5 ounces, adding 26-2 on Day 3 after landing 26-8 on Day 1 and a record-breaking limit weighing 30-11 on the second day. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I was shooting for 27 pounds, but I worked my butt off today,” McKinney said. “I felt like I was going to throw up a couple times in the morning, but once I caught my first big one I told myself to chill out. I caught a second one, and I really calmed down and just fished.”

He not only maintained his lead over Evan Kung in the tournament but strengthened his grip on the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year lead, opening up a 10-point lead over Cory Johnston, who will enter Day 4 nearly 6 1/2 pounds behind in ninth place.

As it stands, the entire Top 10 is on pace to crack the 100-pound mark on Championship Sunday while McKinney is on pace for a 109-pound four-day total. Only three anglers on Semifinal Saturday did not reach a limit. 

One large area of Lake Ontario has served as home base for McKinney this week as he targets smallies on a deep sand flat with subtle rock veins, boulders and drops. On Days 1 and 3, a 2 1/2-inch bug imitator rigged on either a 1/2-ounce or 3/4-ounce drop shot was the best producing presentation. On Friday, however, a 5-inch minnow played a key role.

The mornings have generally been the better bite window for the 21-year-old, except for the 30-minute early afternoon flurry that lifted him to his historic Day 2 bag. 

2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River Day 2: Trey McKinney Grabs Lead with Record Breaking Smallmouth Limit!

Canadians: Kung 2nd, Cory Johnston 4th, Gustafson 7th, Chris Johnston 48th & Gallant 64th

Illinois pro Trey McKinney has taken the lead on Day 2 of the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a two-day total of 57 pounds, 3 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release 

A 16-minute flurry, plus another 6-pounder not long after, lifted Trey McKinney to Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series history on Day 2 of the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River. His limit of smallmouth weighing 30 pounds, 11 ounces is the heaviest sack of all brown fish in B.A.S.S. history.

Not only that, but it also vaulted the pro from Carbondale, Ill., into the lead with a two-day total weighing 57-3 with two days left in the Elite Series season. His lead over second-place Evan Kung is just over 2 pounds while his lead over Cory Johnston in Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year is five points. 

“I was so excited, I didn’t even know what to do,” McKinney said. “The whole way back, I was staring at the sky because I knew the Good Lord was watching over me today.”

At the current pace, the record for a four-day winning weight in smallmouth country could very well be shattered. It was again a day full of 25-, 26- and 27-pound bags of strictly smallies and anglers needed more than 23 1/2 pounds per day just to make the Top 50 cut.  A mere 20 pounds a day resulted in an 87th place finish. 

McKinney’s mighty Friday performance wouldn’t have been possible had he not returned to his starting area, and the location that yielded his 26-8 Day 1 total. With camera boats and other anglers around, he managed to land 23 pounds, but all the pressure from the crowd had the smallmouth spooked.

2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River Day 1: Tucker Smith Leads 27-05lbs!

Canadians: Kung 4th, Cory Johnston 14th, Gustafson 25th, Gallant 26th & Chris Johnston 30th

Alabama pro Tucker Smith has taken the lead on Day 1 of the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a total of 27 pounds, 5 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release

CLAYTON, N.Y. — The waves out on Lake Ontario were taller than Tucker Smith at times on Day 1 of the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River, but the second-year pro from Alabama was up for the challenge.

The defending Rookie of the Year caught a five-bass limit of smallmouth weighing 27 pounds, 5 ounces to claim the lead, just an ounce ahead of California’s Bryant Smith.  All that damage was done within a two-hour span early in the morning. 

“Whenever the wind blows, it pushes bait through my area. I think the weather and wind really helped the bite,” Tucker said. “I’ve had a few rough tournaments this year, but I think God was trying to humble me. It seemed like last year I couldn’t do anything wrong. This year, it’s been good and then really bad. It would be nice to end the season on a good note.”

Despite the giant waves and gusty winds that made navigation difficult and fishing almost impossible in some areas, it was a monumental day across Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River. To crack the Top 25, Jeff Gustafson needed 25 pounds while 90 of the 98 anglers brought back limits weighing 20 pounds or better. 

If 50 cut was today, an angler would need 23-7 to move on to the next day. 

2027 PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE OVERVIEW

 

• NEW TEAM/SOLO FORMAT | UNRESTRICTED FORWARD FACING/360-DEGREE SONAR
• $15,000+ 1st PLACE IN EVERY TOURNAMENT @ 150+ BOATS
• 1st PLACE GUARANTEED AT $10,000+ REGARDLESS OF FIELD SIZE
• 5 ALL-AMERICAN REGIONS | 4 DIVISIONS PER REGION | 5 TOURNAMENTS PER DIVISION
• NOW OFFERING 5 ALL-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS EACH WITH $120,000 WINNERS
• REDCREST & TOYOTA SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP ADVANCEMENT FROM EACH OF 5 ALL-AMERICANS
• 91%+ TOTAL SEASON PAYOUT @ 150 BOATS | 101% INCLUDING PHOENIX MLF BONUSES

5 All-American Regions: NEW Team/Solo Format

• 4 divisions per region
  • 5 one-day qualifying tournaments per division
  • Unrestricted FFS/360
• Tournament winners and the Top 30 teams from each division qualify for an All-American Championship

100 1-Day Qualifying Tournaments: 5 per Division | 20 Divisions

• $22,000 top award, including $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, based on a 150-boat field, scaling up to $29,000 at a maximum field of 225 boats
  • $10,000+ guaranteed 1st-place award regardless of field size or bonuses
  • Fish with a buddy or by yourself
  • Current BPT, Pro Circuit, NPFL and Elite Series pros are not eligible.
• 20 percent of the field wins at least $700, guaranteed
• Winning team from each tournament advances to a NO-ENTRY-FEE All-American
• Saturday tournaments (unless otherwise noted)
• Winners determined by heaviest one-day catch – 5 bass limit
• Every team receives points
• Live weigh-in coverage
• Entry fee: $500

5 3-Day, NO-ENTRY-FEE All-American Championships – 1 Per Region:

• $120,000 All-American limited-edition Phoenix powered by a 250 HP outboard top award plus $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified teams

Alex Korl Wins 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens at Lake Erie Presented by Battery Tender!

Wire to Wire win for Korl!

By Pete Robbins, BASS Press Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York’s Alex Korol overcame a lingering case of bronchitis and two hard-charging Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pros to win the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Erie presented by Battery Tender with 75 pounds, 9 ounces of smallmouth bass over three days of competition. 

In a tournament where weights were generally tightly-packed, his winning margin of 3-11 seemed immense. The difference between second and fourth was a mere 8 ounces.

Elite Series rookies Nick Trim of Wisconsin and Aaron Jagdfeld of Michigan came in second and third with 71-14 and 71-8, respectively.

“I know how special this is and how hard it is to come by,” Korol said. “It is just unbelievable.”

This event featured an absolute rarity in multi-day Great Lakes tournaments — three days with no weather warnings, delays or cancellations. The service crews remained busy, but the tournament went on as scheduled, as did the entirety of the Opens schedule this year.

2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens at Lake Erie Presented by Battery Tender Day 2: Alex Korol Continues to Lead!

With a two-day total of 52 pounds, 2 ounces, New York's Alex Korol holds the lead at the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Erie presented by Battery Tender.

By Pete Robbins, BASS Press Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Alex Korol said that he “just wanted to see how he could compete against this caliber of fisherman,” but through two days of the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Erie presented by Battery Tender he’s left no doubt about his abilities on the eastern basin of this Great Lake. The 33-year-old from Fairport, N.Y., has totaled 52 pounds, 2 ounces of Lake Erie bronze and holds a lead of nearly 2 pounds over Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Aaron Jagdfeld in 2nd.

Dillon Falardeau is 3rd with 50-5, just an ounce behind Jagdfeld.

“I really didn’t know what I was on after practice,” Korol said. “But I think the area is so strong because the bass are staying with the bait and the bait is still there. It blows my mind. With the calm conditions there were tighter groups today.”

But that doesn’t mean that amassing 27-1 and 25-1 bags has been easy. He said that the bass are extremely wary, and once he catches one or two out of a group it pays to leave and find some unmolested fish. Furthermore, he’s been sick for over a week and couldn’t celebrate his Day 1 lead because he was at urgent care.

Korol says that he’s fishing a drop shot, a common offering this week, “but the way I’m working it is extremely unique. It makes it into more of a reaction bite.”

His plans for Championship Saturday?

2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens at Lake Erie Presented by Battery Tender Day 1: Alex Korol Takes Commanding Lead with 27lbs!

By Pete Robbins, BASS Press Release

BUFFALO, N.Y. —  With a limit of 27 pounds 1 ounce of Lake Erie smallmouth, Alex Korolof Fairport, N.Y., is one of three western New York anglers at the top of the leaderboard on Day 1 of the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Erie presented by Battery Tender. But closing out the victory in his first Bassmaster Open is far from a done deal. 

A remarkable 114 anglers topped 20 pounds today, and they’re tightly-packed down the leaderboard.

Forty-five of them will get paid tomorrow, and right now the 45th place angler has 22-5. A pound more than that was good for 22nd place while a pound less is enough for 73rd place.

B.A.S.S. hasn’t visited this part of Lake Erie since a 2008 Elite Series tournament won by Kotaro Kiriyama. In that event, eight anglers had 20 pounds or more on Day 1, led by Matt Reed’s 23-3. As noted above, that amount would have barely been inside the money cut today.

“I feel like they’re bigger now,” said former Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series champion Mike McClelland, one of the handful of anglers who fished that 2008 tournament and who is also competing this week. “Maybe we just have the technology to catch them better now.”

Forward-facing sonar is allowed in this tournament, the last of the four Division 1 Opens. Korol said that the technology is part of his game plan, but the key is the presence of baitfish in his best area, a half-mile stretch of water where he spent the day.

“There’s not much there otherwise,” he said. “It’s the bait that’s keeping them there.”

While he doesn’t reside far away, Korol has fished far more on Lake Ontario than on this portion of Erie, and on the limited occasions that he has been here it’s generally been in other months.

Major League Fishing announces historic changes to Phoenix Bass Fishing League for 2027

New team/solo format, five All-American Championships and exclusive $120,000 Phoenix Ultimate Tournament Rigs headline major transformation

BENTON, Ky. – Major League Fishing announced today a historic series of changes to the 2027 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, introducing a new team/solo format, five regional All-American Championships and significantly increased awards and advancement opportunities, including direct advancement to REDCREST for five anglers.

The changes represent the most substantial evolution of the BFL since the introduction of the boater/co-angler format in 2000.

Beginning in 2027, anglers may compete alone or with a teammate, allowing partners to share expenses and compete together throughout the season. The circuit will feature 20 divisions organized into five regions, with five one-day qualifying tournaments per division.

“This is one of the biggest changes in the history of the Bass Fishing League,” said Major League Fishing co-founder and CEO Boyd Duckett. “For more than 44 years, the BFLs have provided everyday anglers with the opportunity to compete close to home and work their way onto the sport’s biggest stages. The BFL format has, however, evolved over the years, from boat-on-boat draw, to boaters and co-angler and now team/solo. This latest evolution makes it easier to compete with a friend to share expenses, or fish solo to protect your hotspots, while offering more money, more championship opportunities and more reasons than ever to fish.”

Tournament winners and the Top 30 teams in each division will advance to one of five no-entry-fee All-American Championships that push life-changing rewards closer to home than ever before. Each winning team will receive an All-American limited-edition Phoenix powered by a 250-horsepower outboard valued at $120,000. The top-of-the-line 21-foot boats will feature custom All-American branding and will be built specifically for the five championship-winning teams as the ultimate fishing machine.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Angler of the Year Standing!

 

Who's going to win it?

Bryan Schmitt Wins the 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain!

Canadians: Chris Johnston 2nd & Cory Johnston 7th,

Maryland pro Bryan Schmitt has won the 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a four-day total of 81 pounds, 7 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — He called it love at first sight and that instant attraction, deepened by its subsequent bond-building, delivered Bryan Schmitt’s third blue trophy with his four-day winning total of 81 pounds, 7 ounces in the SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

The seasoned pro from Deale, Md., first fished this picturesque natural lake straddling the border of New York and Vermont about a decade ago and immediately felt the connection.

“I got blessed the first time I went here and luckily caught some big fish and that just made me fall in love with it,” Schmitt said. “I stumbled into two special spots and I learned right away what to look for, the combination. The success happened quick and it made me fall in love.”

Schmitt’s Champlain love affair delivered a solid week that started with a Day 1 limit of 19-11 that landed him in 10th place. Schmitt added 19-7 in the second round and slipped to 13th, but he recovered with a Semifinal Saturday bag of 23-8 that pushed him up to second.

Championship Sunday saw Schmitt close the deal with a final limit of 18-13. Edging Chris Johnston by a pound, Schmitt collected the $100,000 top prize.

“I’m speechless right now,” Schmitt said after taking the top spot. “I’ve got nothing but respect for everybody in this Top 10.”

2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain Day 3: Chris Johnston Secures Lead!

Canadians: Cory Johnston 4th,Gustafson 30th & Cooper Gallant 33rd.

Canadian pro Chris Johnston has taken the lead on Day 3 of the 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 13 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/BASS)

BASS Press Release

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — He was dealing with a cold front, but Chris Johnston had the hot hand. That productivity gave the accomplished pro from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada the Day 3 lead in the SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

Keeping himself in the conversation from the start, Johnston placed eighth on Day 1 with 19 pounds, 14 ounces and rose to third a day later on the strength of his 21-7 limit. Adding a Semifinal Saturday bag that weighed 21-8, Johnston tallied a three-day total of 62-13.

Heading into Championship Sunday, Johnston leads Bryan Schmitt by 3 ounces.

Despite turning in his best bag of the week, Johnston said the weather system moving through the area interrupted the game plan he’d been following.

“The wind is what really hurt me and maybe the cold,” Johnston said. “A lot of my smallmouth have been coming shallow. I’ve been trying to get a couple kicker largemouth, but I’ve been filling my limit with 3 1/2- to 4-pound smallmouth.

“I’ve been sight-fishing those big smallmouth. The only way I can catch those big ones, for the most part, is to visually see them. Today, I got lucky and got one to eat by just blind fishing, but if it slicks off and gets sunny, that’s my best chance to catch those big ones.”

Many of Champlain’s bigger smallmouth roam deep open water, but it’s nearly impossible to consistently target those fish without forward facing sonar. Shortly after B.A.S.S. announced the 2026 schedule, a coin flip selection identified five events that would allow forward facing sonar and four that would not. The Champlain event does not allow this live sonar technology.

After two mostly calm days offered favorable sight-fishing conditions, Johnston was able to cover broad areas of grass and rock, pick out his targets and then make precise casts with a finesse bait.

“If it’s ripply, I can’t see the smallmouth,” Johnston said. “I have to cover a mile to maybe see three or four fish (in calm conditions). There are not many, but there are some decent ones, if I can find them.”

2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain Day 2: Carl Jocumsen Continues to Lead!

Canadians: Chris Johnston 3rd, Cory Johnston 4th, Gustafson 24th, Cooper Gallant 48th & Evan King 67th! 

Australian pro Carl Jocumsen maintains the lead on Day 2 of the 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 43 pounds, 1 ounce. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Better-than-expected weather conditions allowed Carl Jocumsen to pad his lead and test a theory that’ll no-doubt benefit his effort to win his second blue trophy in the SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

After taking the Day 1 lead with 23 pounds, 2 ounces, the pro from Toowoomba, Australia added a second-round limit that weighed 19-15. With a two-day total of 43-1, Jocumsen heads into Semifinal Saturday with a 1 1/4-pound lead over Seth Feider.

“Today almost went to exact plan,” Jocumsen said. “I feel like potentially, there’s more fish (in my main area) than I thought there was, which is a good thing.”

Jocumsen, who became the first Australian to win a Bassmaster Elite tournament by topping the 2019 Lake Tenkiller event, followed his Day 1 game plan and returned to the Ticonderoga area. Colloquially called “Ti,” this area named for the historic fort on Champlain’s west side, holds abundant shallow grass that’s known for good numbers of big largemouth.

With Ti sitting approximately 70 miles south of Plattsburgh, Jocumsen committed 90 minutes of running time both ways. His results justified the time gamble, as he caught all of his Day 1 weight and four of his Day 2 fish in Ti’s fertile waters.

“It was the same drill; the fish were all in the same areas where I left them yesterday,” Jocumsen said. “There’s just something about these certain sections that have some fish.