Zack Birge Wins 2026 NPFL on Lake Harris Chain of Lakes!

Oklahoma pro stayed consistent all three days to claim his first NPFL victory at Stop One.

Birge continues hot streak with his first win on the NPFL at Stop One. 
(Photo: NPFL/ Tanner & Travis Lyons)

By Justin Brouillard, NPFL Press Release

It came down to the wire on the Harris Chain, where consistency proved to be the difference-maker. Changing weather, long runs to Lake Apopka, and a last-minute adjustment after losing access to his starting area all played a role — but in the end, Oklahoma angler Zack Birge made the right moves at the right time to earn his first NPFL victory.

Birge started strong on Day One, boating 22-6 to kick things off in third place. He moved into the lead on Day Two with 21-14 and was the only angler to eclipse 20 pounds on both of the first two days. On the final day, fending off a charging Todd Auten, Birge added 17-14 to secure the win, besting the veteran by a mere 5 ounces.

Making a charge on the final day, Todd Auten was not going down without a fight. His best bags of the week came on Day One and Showdown Saturday. He started the event in second place with 25-3, dropped slightly on Day Two with 12-3, and then surged with the biggest bag of the tournament on the final day — 24-7 — ultimately finishing in second place, just short of the NPFL victory in his first event.

In third place, Derek Lehtonen was perhaps the most consistent angler all week, but lacked a true giant bass across his three days. Still, his 51-0 total moved him up on the final day, earning a solid payday and valuable points toward the 2027 Work Sharp NPFL Championship.

While many predicted a double-digit bass in this event, it was a 9-0 kicker caught by Greg Vinson on Day One that earned Big Bass honors. A slower Day Three dropped him to 25th overall, but Vinson still walked away with a solid check for his efforts.

Birge Adjusts for the Win

Wrapping up his second tour-level victory of the season, Zack Birge is on a tear in 2026. Birge took the win at the MLF BPT event earlier this month and is now a first time NPFL Champion. Fishing both leagues the last couple of seasons has been tough, and missing practice and tournament days caused him to miss the 2026 Epic Baits Championship by just a few points. Now, he’s a lock for the 2027 Championship by way of his win, and he kicks off the NPFL season leading the Work Sharp Angler of the Year race.

“It sure feels great,” Birge said. “I’m sure tomorrow, making the drive home, it’ll set in more, but I’m tired. This was a long week, and today was super stressful. Right off this morning things got tough, having to change my day around, and I felt like I was stuck in Apopka for a little while.”

Luckily, Birge had a Plan B. When his flipping bite only produced one small keeper, it was time to make a big decision — abandon ship early and head back toward Harris, or figure something out in Apopka to get the day back on track and kill some time.

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Matt Messer Wins 2023 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes!

Late bonus pushes Messer to Bassmaster Open victory at Harris Chain of Lakes

Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day total of 39 pounds, 13 ounces. (Photo: BASS) 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

LEESBURG, Fla. — Two weeks ago, Matt Messer wondered how he would pay for his 2024 tournament entry fees.

But winning the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes completely changed that outlook.

After leading Day 1 with 24 pounds, 6 ounces, the Warfield, Ky., angler added a second-round total of 15-7 and tallied 39-13. Edging Blake Sylvester of Plaquemine, La., by 1-12, Messer won $42,467 and an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic scheduled for March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla.

“I’ve been dreaming of the Classic since I was 5 and now I get a shot at it,” Messer said. “I can hardly talk. I’m torn all to pieces.”

Messer, who won the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Harris Chain presented by Bass Pro Shops with his brother and Kentucky Christian University teammate Lafe Messer, caught both day's limits in Lake Griffin. While Day 1 yielded a 7-14 and a 7-2, the second round saw his lone shot at a kicker fizzle.

“I did not think I was going to catch ‘em,” Messer admits. “I was grinding and I got one big bite, but I didn’t get it in the boat. It was like a 7-pounder.

2022 Tackle Warehouse Tour Stop 2 on the Harris Chain of Lakes Day 1: Keith Carson Scores Lead!

Two monsters anchors 23lb bag for Keith Carson
(Photo: MLF)

By Jody White

Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Press Release 

LEESBURG, Fla. – The conditions at takeoff on Day 1 of Bass Boat Technologies Stop 2 on the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by Frogg Toggs were universally agreed to be terrible. But by the end of the weigh-in, with the sun shining and local favorite Keith Carson slotting into the 10th spot with a kicker plucked from a bed, the day turned out to be a pretty good one.

Setting the pace, Grant Galloway put 23 pounds, 9 ounces on the scale to earn the lead. In second, Randall Tharp, one of the biggest hitters in Florida, caught 22-15. Hot on his heels, Kerry Milner wrangled 22-13 for third.

A sophomore pro from Mississippi, Galloway has struggled in his start on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me, never finishing above 100th so far. After today, with an 8-pounder and a 9-pounder to his credit, he may have finally got the ball rolling.

Things started out poorly for Galloway, however, as big wind in his area had him frustrated and mentally scattered.

“I got there and it was really windy, it was blowing right down the pipe of the area I was fishing,” said Galloway. “I finally settled in, there was one local boat in the area, and I saw him catch a few, so that kinda made me settle down. I slowed down, went to pitchin’, and it was just not working.”

Then, at about 9 o’clock in the morning, things changed dramatically.

“I had one point that was windblown, and I bombed one up there, set the hook, and she wrapped me up in the pads,” said Galloway. “So, I high-tailed it to her and grabbed it. So, I get her in the boat, after I pass out and come back twice.”

That was his first big one.

“I go on down the bank, and I saw a blown-in trash mat,” said Galloway. “I pitched over there, with a pitching bait, ‘thunk.’ I set the hook, and I just pinned it, I didn’t know what it was. So, I high-tailed over to it, and I could just see her lip sitting in the mat. When I grabbed it, I didn’t have a clue how big it was.”

In a matter of minutes, Galloway went from a goose egg to 17 pounds for two fish.

From there, the former Mississippi State angler pulled out a jerkbait to finish his limit and get over 20 pounds. Then, he moved to a flat and wound a crankbait to cull up several times to hit his leading mark.

Having had a good practice, Galloway is in much better shape than he’s used to after Day 1, despite struggling with the conditions.

“I wasn’t able to fish thorough, I didn’t even get to fish a couple stretches that I just intentionally wanted to fish slow,” said Galloway. “The wind was just too bad. Hopefully, it lays down, and I can capitalize on that tomorrow.

“It’s Florida, and every time I’ve fished here, the big bite goes a long way, especially in these multi-day events,” said Galloway. “Do I think I can do it again? Yeah, if the good Lord’s willing. But, it’s all about the bite. I’m not targeting specific sized fish. It’s not like we’re on the Tennessee River and I’m graphing a school and I know how big they are. It’s just the luck of the flip. I feel like as long as I’m around numbers, the quality will show itself.”

2. Randall Tharp – 22 – 15 (5) 

Pretty high up there on the list of pre-tournament favorites, Randall Tharp landed a 9-7 for the Day 1 Berkley Big Bass and seems to be on pace to be terrifying for the rest of the field.

Catching just 10 keepers, Tharp caught the right ones for sure.

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2017 BASS Southern Open Harris Chain of Lakes Day 1: Marty Robinson Takes Lead over 200 Pros.

Star studded field descend on Florida

By Andrew Canulette

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Florida bills itself as the “Fishing Capital of the World,” and the Harris Chain of Lakes is one of its crown jewels.

Robinson leads with 23-11lbs on Day 1.
(Photo: BASS)

On Thursday in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open No. 1, the acclaimed Florida fishery showed off a bit – for mid-January, at least.

From the time Alabama pro Deron Patrick started the 3 1/2-hour weigh-in with a 16-pound, 2-ounce limit, until the last of the field of 400 checked in, a steady stream of fish came across the stage. It made for an impressive display and for a momentous first day in the first Bassmaster tournament of the 2017 season.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Marty Robinson of Lyman, S.C., had the heaviest bag among the 200 boating anglers, with five bass that weighed 23-11. The total gave him a narrow lead in the three-day tournament being held on this 80,000-acre network of lakes.

But he wasn’t the only one who was successful Thursday. Thirty-three pro anglers boated at least 15 pounds of bass, and eight of those bags weighed more than 20 pounds. Closest to Robinson are Hunter Shryock (second place, 22-1) and former Elite Series pro Ken Iyobe (third, 21-14). Others catching 20 pounds or more were fishing legend Paul Elias (fourth, 21-12); Justin Lucas (fifth, 21-11); Jordan Lee (sixth, 21-0); John Pollard (seventh, 20-11); and Chris Heath (eighth, 20-8).