Arctic Blast Shorts First Opens of 2025!
Winter blast never hinders Clarke. (Photo: BASS)
By Christopher Decker
BASS Press Release
EVANS, Ga. — It didn’t result in many bites, but Chase Clarke perfectly executed a big-bass pattern to win the weather-shortened St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Clarks Hill Reservoir presented by SEVIIN with a two-day total of 47 pounds, 7 ounces.
The 2022 Auburn University graduate caught three 6-pound or better largemouth during the tournament, two on the first day that lifted him to a daily total of 25-14 and one on the second day that anchored his 21-9 Day 2 total. Those two bags propelled him over second-place Blaine Bunney by 6 pounds.
“I caught the right ones, but they were frustrating. They were so hard to catch,” the Virginia Beach pro said. “I figured I would only catch 10 or 11 bass a day, and I figured if I did that, I would have a good bag. Both days I happened to catch 6-pounders. I couldn’t have drawn it up any better.”
With the win, Clarke is the first angler to clinch their spot in the 2026 Bassmaster Classic, given he competes in the final three tournaments in Division I. Clarke was in contention to win an Open at Leech Lake last year, but fell short with a third-place finish.
As he drove to the boat ramp this morning, those same feelings he felt the final morning at Leech came flooding back to him.
