Jacob Wheeler Wins 2026Bass Pro Shop REDCREST Presented by Mercury & Lowrance!

Jacob Wheeler won his first REDCREST title in seven tries on Table Rock Lake. Photo by Rob Matsuura. Angler: Jacob Wheeler.

By Mitchell Forde, 

Bass Pro Press Release

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — With 2 1/2 hours left to fish in Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by Mercury & Lowrance, Jacob Wheeler sat on the front deck of his bass boat and made a phone call. Trying to distract himself from the fact that the $300,000 prize and REDCREST trophy that had long eluded him were within reach, Wheeler FaceTimed his wife, Alicia, and their two children, Olivia and Hudson, during the final period break.

At that point, Wheeler led his nearest pursuer by more than 17 pounds. With postfrontal conditions making for a tough bite on Table Rock Lake, just about everyone knew that the title that had long seemed inevitable was now imminent – including Olivia. The 7-year-old asked, “Daddy, you’re going to win, right?”

“I’m just like, ‘Honey, I’m going to try, but it’s not a guarantee,’” Wheeler said with a laugh. “’It’s OK if I don’t. We’re going to try our hardest.’”

Was that Wheeler trying not to get ahead of himself? Sure. But he had good reason not to get too excited. Since winning the Forrest Wood Cup in 2012 at age 21, Wheeler has accomplished just about everything there is to accomplish in tournament bass fishing: 11 Bass Pro Tour wins, a Bassmaster Elite Series win, four Fishing Clash Angler of the Year titles. But despite four top-six finishes, he had yet to win Major League Fishing’s championship event. 

Sunday, he finally got it done.

After pulling away from the rest of the Championship Round pros early, Wheeler cruised to a 51-pound, 11-ounce total on 21 scorable bass. That topped runner-up Takahiro Omori by 13-3 and earned Wheeler the one piece of hardware he’s been missing – the REDCREST trophy.

“It’s just been the thorn in my side,” Wheeler said. “I’ve had some really close calls. The ball has not bounced my way in these tournaments.

“It means the world. It really does.”

Here’s how the Top 10 pros finished the Championship Round:

1. Jacob Wheeler – 51-11 (21)
2. Takahiro Omori – 38-8 (15)
3. Zack Birge – 32-15 (12)
4. Brent Ehrler – 29-7 (12)
5. Drew Gill – 28-1 (12)
6. Alton Jones Jr. – 24-14 (9)
7. Mark Daniels Jr. – 23-14 (10)
8. Spencer Shuffield – 20-9 (8)
9. Jeff Sprague – 17-3 (7)
10. Dustin Connell – 12-8 (5)

Full results

Jacob Wheeler Wins 2025 BPT Lowrance Stage 5 Presented by Mercury on Kentucky Lake!

 

Jacob Wheeler scored his ninth Bass Pro Tour event win on Kentucky Lake with 46 scorable bass weighing 110 pounds, 13 ounces. Photo by Phoenix Moore

By Mitchell Forde 

BASS PRO TOUR, Press Release

CALVERT CITY, Ky. — At each of the past two Bass Pro Tour regular-season events, Jacob Wheeler has finished in second place, one bite short of the win. He fell 2-3 shy of Drew Gill on Lake Murray, then lost a heartbreaker to Jake Lawrence on Chickamauga and Nickajack, when Lawrence caught a 5-9 in the final seconds before lines out.

At Lowrance Stage 5 Presented by Mercury on Kentucky Lake, Wheeler made sure no one else even got a chance to steal the trophy.

Wheeler rallied after a slow morning and stacked up 110 pounds, 13 ounces on 46 scorable bass during Sunday’s Championship Round. He turned what looked like it would be another slugfest with Lawrence, the home-lake favorite, into a rout, topping Lawrence by 32-7.

The win is Wheeler’s first of 2025 and ninth overall on the Bass Pro Tour, adding to his tour-best trophy count. This one carried special significance, not just because he was able to flip the script and get revenge on Lawrence, but because he grew up traveling to Kentucky Lake to compete in tournaments alongside his father, Curtis, who passed away from cancer in April.  

“I just felt like he was with me all week,” Wheeler said through tears shortly after the victory became official. “It’s the first tournament that I’ve fished on a lake that we fished together, and this one had a lot of meaning to it. Obviously, he was a big part of my life, and I wouldn’t be here without him. I just wanted to win it for him.”

Here’s how the Top 10 pros finished the Championship Round:

1. Jacob Wheeler – 110-13 (46)

2. Jake Lawrence – 78-6 (30)

3. Brent Ehrler – 69-8 (32)

4. Jacob Wall – 62-13 (27)

5. John Hunter – 62-10 (26)

6. Adrian Avena – 53-11 (22)

7. Cole Floyd – 51-11 (18)

8. Spencer Shuffield – 44-11 (16)

9. Andy Montgomery – 35-15 (16)

10. Michael Neal – 29-10 (12)

On paper, Stage 5 will go down looking like vintage Wheeler domination. He blasted more than 95 pounds during the first half of the first day of qualifying, then spent the rest of the day idling and scouting for new schools. He only fished for about a third of Day 2 but caught enough to win the Qualifying Round, earning himself a direct berth to the Championship Round. Sunday, while a north wind slowed the bite for everyone else, he cruised past the 100-pound mark.

Edwin Evers Wins BPT Lake Conroe Event with 51-12lbs!

A big 8-pounder seals deal for Evers

By Joel Shangle

BPT PRESS RELEASE

Evers adds a win and a 2nd place in 2 BPT tournaments.
(Photo BPT)

In the immediate aftermath of the first MLF Bass Pro Tour event in Kissimmee, Florida two weeks ago, Edwin Evers’ dissatisfaction with finishing second was palpable. Ever the professional, Evers complimented his fellow competitors and smiled for photos at the Berkley Postgame Show, but no talk of Cup points could bring the Oklahoma pro comfort.

Sunday afternoon on Lake Conroe, Evers made sure that the only postgame talk would be of how he earned his first-ever MLF Bass Pro Tour trophy.

Evers racked up 51 pounds, 12 ounces to outdistance Jeff Sprague, (40-8), Boyd Duckett (35-15), Brent Ehrler (34-13) and David Walker (34-7) and claim the win at the Bass Pro Tour Huk Stage Two presented by Favorite Fishing. The Oklahoma pro caught 24 scorable fish on the day, including an exclamation point with 9 minutes left in competition: an 8-1 that hit a drop-shot Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper.

“You can’t imagine how good it feels to catch a fish like that,” Evers admitted. “I knew there were big fish in there, because I shook some big ones off the second day of the event. The big females just hadn’t gotten there yet, but they’re coming.”

Evers’ winning area

Evers’ pattern was to flip his way down the bank with a Black Blue Berkley Havoc Pit Boss, picking out small indentations and grassy, undercut banks and flipping his bait as close to the bank as he could. He also caught some fish on a vibrating jig.

2019 BPT Lake Conroe Pool 1 Day 2: Wesley Strader Seal the Deal with 56lbs!

Strader rallies in skinny water

By Joel Shangle

Wesley Strader put enough fish on SCORETRACKER to finish on top of Group A.
(Photo: BPT)

With the first Elimination Round of the MLF Bass Pro Tour Huk Stage Two presented by Favorite Fishing officially in the books, Wesley Strader can take a quick breath of relief and rest up for Saturday’s Knockout Round.

Even more importantly, he can let his best water rest, too.

After adding 23 pounds to to his Shotgun Round total of 33-0 – bringing his two-day total to 56-0 – Strader heads into the semi-final round on top of the 40-man Group A, exactly 1 pound ahead of Bobby Lane (55-0). But Strader is quick to acknowledge that the competition has now become as much a game of strategy as of picking apart the water at Lake Conroe.

The East Tennessee pro summed it up best right after he put his last fish of Period 2 – a 4-4 – on SCORETRACKER: “I don’t care who passes me, I’m out of here,” Strader said as he Power-Poled up and backed his way out of the narrow creek he had been fishing to go scout new water. 

Strader would eventually add another three fish to his total in Period 3 to claim the top spot in the group, but used the entire period as a scouting exercise, hoping to find “the juice” for Saturday, when the weights zero.

“I looked around more than I fished today,” Strader admitted. “I have a real specific (condition) I’m looking for – when I see it, I catch one about 75 percent of the time. But this thing I’m looking for is really hard to find, and I have to cover a lot of water on the trolling motor to find it. I feel like I can go behind guys and catch them, though, because I have a real specific bait that they really like. Hopefully I can make that work again on Saturday.” 

The majority of the Top 10 – most of whom were in good shape on SCORETRACKER when competition began, anyway – followed Strader’s lead.

2019 BPT Lake Conroe Pool 1 Day 1: Brent Ehrler Leads with 33-12lbs!

Conroe tricky for MLF anglers

By Luigi De Rose

Ehrler caught them early and stayed with it all day long.
(Photo: BPT)

Under dark clouds and 20 to 30 mph winds, the 40 anglers in Pool A headed out to start Stage 2 of the BPT tour. Muddy water kept the catch rate down but someone always figures them out and Brent Ehrler was that guy all day long. Docks, canals and corners were all key for consistent bass fishing. Brent Ehrler jumped into an early lead and held it right to the finish.  Wesley Strader and Jason Christie rallied in the afternoon periods to threaten the leader but to no avail. Pool B starts tomorrow with 40 new anglers giving Conroe another try. Live action starts at 10am CT time.

Pool A Top 5

Rank	Angler	Total Weight	Total # Fish
1st	Brent Ehrler	33 - 12	15
2nd	Wesley Strader	33 - 00	18
3rd	Jason Christie	29 - 11	10
4th	Bradley Roy	29 - 04	12
5th	Adrian Avena	29 - 02	15

Jordan Lee Wins the 2018 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell with 47-07lbs!

Lee Repeats as Classic Champ 
By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Lee comes from behind again to win!
(Photo: BASS)

After three magical days on Lake Hartwell, South Carolina, Jordan Lee now belongs to one of the most exclusive fraternities in professional bass fishing.
 
Lee, who began Sunday’s championship round in sixth place, caught five bass that weighed 16 pounds, 5 ounces and won the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods with a three-day total of 47-1.
 
Lee, who won last year’s Classic on Lake Conroe, Texas, joins fishing legends Rick Clunn and Kevin VanDam as the only anglers in history to win the Super Bowl of professional bass fishing two years in a row.
 
“That part of it hasn’t set in for me,” said Lee, who pushed his career earnings with B.A.S.S. past $1 million with the $300,000 Classic win. “I’m still just freaking out.
 
“It was just a perfect week for me. I caught fish on five different baits and a lot of different techniques.”
 

2018 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell Day 1: Christie Sacks 20-14lbs for Lead!

Oklahoma room mates land 1 & 2!
By Luigi De Rose

Considering the hype about Lake Hartwell prior to the start, the fishing was slow for most. Even the top anglers complained about long lulls between bites. Oklahoma anglers Christie and Evers, room mates on tour, sit first and second after Day 1. Both explained that Hartwell fishes very similar to Grand Lake. The site of the 2016 Classic, Grand Lake is where Christie led the first two day but later succumbed to a heroic last day limit by Ever which vaulted him in the winner's circle. This event could be a repeat of 2016.

Tomorrow will see increased cloud cover and warmer temps. This might give shallow anglers or anglers targeting spotted bass with moving baits the edge.

1	Jason Christie		5 / 20-14
2	Edwin Evers		5 / 19- 9
3	Jordan Lee		5 / 18-10
4	Brent Ehrler		5 / 17- 8
5	Ott DeFoe		5 / 16- 8
6	James Elam		5 / 16- 7
7	Jacob Wheeler		5 / 16- 1
8	Mark Daniels Jr.		5 / 15-14
9	Gerald Swindle		5 / 15-13
10	Jamie Hartman		5 / 15-12
11	Dustin Connell		5 / 15- 5
11	Jason Williamson		5 / 15- 5
13	Jacob Powroznik		5 / 15- 4
14	Casey Ashley		5 / 15- 0
15	Alton Jones		5 / 14- 9

Brandon Palaniuk Wins 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest!

Brent Ehrler 2nd and wins tundra truck for big bass
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Big worm and Neko rig grabs win for Brandon. (Photo: BASS)

It’s not like Brandon Palaniuk had never won a Bassmaster Elite Series event.

Coming into this week, the 29-year-old pro from Idaho had already claimed Elite Series trophies in 2012 and 2013 and came close to raising that win total with three other second-place finishes.

But for an intense competitor known as the “prodigy,” the four-year victory drought was an itch he desperately needed to scratch — and he did it during this week’s Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Palaniuk caught 24 pounds, 7 ounces of bass during Wednesday’s opening round and followed with 23-2 and 24-7 the next two rounds. Then he caught he caught 21-12 on Championship Sunday to push his four-day total to 93-12 and hold off a late charge by California pro Brent Ehrler.

Ehrler, who led the first two days, finished second with 91-12.

“I never found a school in practice where I could just go and pound on them and catch multiple fish in one spot,” said Palaniuk, who earned a $100,000 first-place prize and an automatic berth into the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented DICK’S Sporting Goods. “It wasn’t until the tournament started to roll around that more and more fish started to transition out and school up on spots.

“I was just far enough ahead of the fish.”

It was a sign of things to come for Palaniuk when he started Wednesday’s opening round with his biggest fish of the tournament — a largemouth that weighed 8-4. Palaniuk caught the bass in deeper water than what was being fished by most of the field.

2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Day 3: Brandon Palaniuk Advances into Lead!

Waiting game begins as Top 12 rest on Saturday. 

BASS PRESS RELEASE
Brent Ehrler hasn’t won a tournament since joining the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2015.

Brandon got on a role and climbed it into the lead. (Photo: BASS)

But after three rounds of the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, both anglers are in good position to end those droughts.

Palaniuk, a seven-year Elite Series veteran from Idaho, caught 24 pounds, 7 ounces during Friday’s semifinals to vault himself from second place into the lead with 72-0. Ehrler, the California pro who led the tournament the first two days, caught 24-3 Friday and slipped into second place, just 2 ounces behind Palaniuk with 71-14.

Palaniuk’s lead might be much bigger if it hadn’t been for several giant fish he lost at the boat.

“It was not a very good day of execution,” he said. “I’ve lost fish every day. But today was just the day that I got them all the way to the boat, and they broke off or came off for whatever reason.”

One fish, in particular, haunted Palaniuk the most.

2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Day 2: Ehrler Leads Only by 2 Ounces!

Tight race on Rayburn
BASS PRESS RELEASE

After two days, the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has turned into an all-out slugfest with some of the biggest names in professional bass fishing at the top of the leaderboard.

The Top 10 anglers have all averaged more than 20 pounds apiece the first two days on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and the top two pros have averaged better than 23.

Jerkbait pattern key to Ehrler's lead.  (Photo: BASS)

California pro Brent Ehrler holds the top spot for the second day in a row with a two-day mark of 47-11. He caught 22-5 Thursday in the 90-degree Texas heat to maintain a slim lead over Idaho pro Brandon Palaniuk, who is just 2 ounces back with 47-9 after catching 23-2 Thursday.
Ehrler also still holds the lead for Toyota Big Bass of the week with a 9-1 he caught Wednesday. The winner of that award will receive a Toyota Tundra pickup valued at $50,000.

“I didn’t really find any new stuff today,” Ehrler said. “I checked one spot where I thought I could catch a good one, and I caught about a 4 1/2-pounder later in the day. But I still didn’t get that real clear feeling for what I’m going to do the rest of the week.”

2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Day 1: Ehrler Take Early Lead

Fishing great on Day 1
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Brent looking for his 2nd TTBC win!
(Photo: BASS)

Brent Ehrler used a strange term to describe the way he fished Sam Rayburn Reservoir during Wednesday’s first round of the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
 
“The fish are confused,” he said. “And you have to fish confused.”
 
The tactic worked, as the California pro caught 25 pounds, 6 ounces of bass to take the lead in an event that features a $100,000 first-place prize and an automatic berth into the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
 
His five-bass catch was anchored by a 9-1 largemouth that gave him the lead in the race for Toyota Big Bass of the week. The angler who claims that title will take home a Toyota Tundra pickup truck valued at $50,000. Total payout is $1 million.
 

Jordan Lee Wins the 2017 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Conroe with 56-10lbs!

Lee conqures Classic!
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

In 2013, Jordan Lee was a member of the Auburn University fishing team.

Today, he's on top of the professional bass fishing world.

The 25-year-old pro from Guntersville, Ala., stayed within striking distance all week at the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods. Then during Sunday's final round at Minute Maid Park, he caught five bass from Lake Conroe that weighed 27 pounds, 4 ounces, pushing his three-day total to a tournament-best 56-10.

Amazing final day makes 25 year old Lee a Classic Champ!
(Photo: BASS)

Lee earned $300,000 and the most coveted trophy in the sport, while Steve Kennedy — a resident of Auburn, Ala. — finished second with 55-1.

"To all of the guys fishing the college tournaments right now, this just says you can do it," Lee said. "It's hard work — and you're going to have a lot of days out here that aren't good.

"On this lake, I wasn't sure there was any way I could do it. But you're never out of it here."

2017 Bassmaster Classic Lake Conroe Day 2: Brent Ehrler Leads with 43-4lbs!

Ehrler leads for second straight day.

By Luigi De Rose

Ehrler commands the Classic!
(Photo: BASS)

Not everything in Texas is bigger could be the theme of Day 2 of the 2017 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Conroe.  Under ideal conditions, the entire field fumbled to find true Texas trophy bass which the lake is known for.  

Brent Ehrler had little to worry as he leads the field after another stellar day with a 5 bass limit for 20-01 lbs and a two day total of 43-04lbs. Ehrler maintained a steady rhythm of working brush rows and surrounding flats in the mid-section of the lake.  Brent isn’t in any secret location as many other competitors fished close to him without success. Ehrler caught the majority of this bass pitching and flipping creature baits. He also caught several key fish on a vibrating jig in mid-morning.

Dave Lefebre jumped to second with a 20-11 pound limit. His 41-01lb two-day total is only 2 pounds off the lead. He is also fishing the shallow bays and cuts in the mid to upper section of Lake Conroe.

Edwin Evers, 3^rd with 39lbs for two days, was the quickest to reach 20 pound today as he cashed in on a hot shad spawn bite.  Edwin seemed to spend the rest of the day experimenting with shallow and deep presentations with minimal luck. James Elam has 4^th with 37-10 lbs and Bradley Roy round out the 5^th position with 37-07 lbs. 

Interestingly, 6^th place Mike Iaconelli, scrambled after a horrible morning fishing deep and pieced together 16-06 pound limit by moving in close proximity to Ehrler. Social media was a buzz as BASS LIVE commentators questioned the moral justification of fishing the Day 1 leader’s prime areas. Expect fireworks if the two clash over territory tomorrow especially as Ehrler has been in command of the lead the entire tournament.

Berkley Big Bass went to Skylar Hamilton who landed a 9.01-pound brute. Saturday definitely saw a steep drop in big bass being caught. Six anglers got skunked today showcasing that not everything is big in Texas as they were shut out of landing a 16” keeper bass.