Cody Stahl Wins St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River; Mc Garry 9th!

Cody Stahl claims the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN with a three-day total weighing 53 pounds, 1 ounce. 

By David A Brown

BASS Press Release

LA CROSSE, Wis. — At Thursday’s tournament commencement, Cody Stahl was one of 213 pros in the hunt. Two days prior, a completely different hunt gave him the clues he needed to amass a three-day total of 53 pounds, 1 ounce and win the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.

Placing 29th on Day 1 with 15-09, Stahl added a second-round limit of 18-0 and moved up to fifth. Day 3 saw the pro from Barnsville, Ga., weigh 19-8 — the event’s biggest bag — and edge Day 2 leader Chris Hellebuyck by 10 ounces.

Along with the top prize of $40,607, Stahl received an invitation to fish the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors March 21-23 on Lake Ray Roberts.

“I’m speechless,” a clearly emotional Stahl said. “To start the season out with a 187th place at Lake Okeechobee, I didn’t think I deserved to be here and compete with these guys. After all the years of hard work and time on the water, it feels good to finally bring one home. I feel like I belong here.

“It’s been a phenomenal week. I never would have thought this would happen.”

As Stahl explained, his tournament unfolded much differently than he had originally planned. Upon arriving, he decided he’d avoid the often-crowded Pool 8 and lock up to Pool 7.

2022 Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Mississippi River Day 3: Chris Johnston Continues Lead!

Canadians Gustafson 26th & Cory Johnston 52th.

Chris Johnston of Otonabee, Ontario, is leading after Day 3 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River with a three-day total of 48 pounds, 10 ounces. (Photo: Seigo Saito/ BASS) 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Chris Johnston believed in his sweet spot enough to give it a second chance, and that call paid off in a big way, as the pro from Otonabee, Ontario, tallied a three-day total of 48 pounds, 10 ounces and maintained the lead on Day 3 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River.

 

After tying for fourth place on Day 1 with a limit of 16-4, Johnston added 15-10 on Day 2 and took over the top spot. He entered Semifinal Sunday 2 ounces ahead of Texan Keith Combs — and with a third-round limit of 16-12, Johnston now heads into Championship Monday with an advantage of 1-13 over Combs.

 

“I ran to a spot that I’d fished in the morning, but I never got a bite because it was raining,” Johnston said. “There was a lot of bait in the area, and I think the rain had the bait all pushed down to the bottom and the fish weren’t active.

 

“I stopped there again with about 15 minutes to go because I know there’s a lot of fish in there. It’s just hard to get them to bite.”

 

Johnston said he usually has to see fish blowing up (surface feeding) in the spot’s matted grass, but his first cast drew a bite. He missed that fish, but five casts later he caught a 3 1/4-pound largemouth a little before 2:30 p.m.

 

“It was hard because the wind was blowing in, but they were in these little pockets,” Johnston said. “The wind had my frog kind of going across sideways, but that (3 1/4-pounder) grabbed a hold of it and that was huge.”

 

Johnston’s key spot comprised a break in the vegetation with sand next to a current edge. The week’s rainfall has raised the water level, and Johnston said that has expanded the spot’s opportunity.

 

2017 BASS Elite Ross Barnett Day 3: Connell Leads as KVD and JVD Close In!

Weather worries for Sunday. 

By Thomas Allen 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Rookie Connell steady as veterans close in.
(Photo: BASS)

For the second day in a row, Alabama native Dustin Connell is leading the fourth Bassmaster Elite Series event of his life. The 26-year-old rookie is closing in on his first victory and the $100,000 first-place prize at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Ross Barnett.

The weather forecast for Ridgeland, Miss., is predicting strong thunderstorms and heavy rain for Championship Sunday, which could impact whether the tournament concludes on schedule or gets postponed until Monday.
 
Connell’s pattern produced 15 pounds, 7 ounces of largemouth bass for a three-day total of 51-14, which is just over 6 pounds ahead of second place.
 
“I’m fishing up in the Pearl River,” Connell said. “And if we get heavy rain, the potential flood waters could wash out my spots. If that happens, I may have to revert to plan B and pick up a frog. I’m hoping we’ll dodge a bullet and be able to fish on Sunday.”
 
Connell mentioned that he’s so confident in his fishing spots that if the weather holds off, he believes he can win.