Canadian Andrew Campbell Wins International Division
By Jody White
MLF Toyota Series Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A lot happened in bass fishing in 2024. And the way off-seasons are these days, there could be more to come. But, if the year is going to be known for anything, it might be as the year of the minnow.
While strolling a jighead minnow won plenty of money in 2023 and earlier, it was often a technique plied by frontrunners, and rarely the majority of the field. This year, “Top 10 Baits” stories featured a cavalcade of minnows (or lies about them) – some named, some “unnamed” and known, and some still largely unknown. So, it seems a little fitting that the year ended like it began, with a big win by a minnow master.
Keith Poche gave it a great run, but in the end, Hayden Marbut convincingly won the Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies on Wheeler Lake – catching every fish on a minnow. It’s a bait that everyone in the field has now, but it’s still possible for the cream to rise to the top with any given technique, and Marbut has proven time and again that he’s a master at it. Weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces on Day 1, the young Alabama pro set the bar high, and he stayed on the gas all the way. Weighing 19-10 on Day 2 kept him within striking distance after Poche dropped an incredible 27-pound stringer, and when the shallow-water expert faltered on Day 3, Marbut was there with 16-12 for a 57-12 total and the win.
Earning $235,000 for his efforts, the win also qualified him for REDCREST on Guntersville, which happens to be his home lake. Marbut has now banked $345,555 on the year in Toyota Series winnings alone – a spectacular amount of money for a 21-year-old and more than many pros win in several years. Of course, a hefty proportion of that is in the form of Phoenix MLF Bonus earnings, which he cashed in on twice this year.
