2022 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork Day 1: Prince Takes Narrow Lead On Windy Lake Fork

BASS PRESS RELEASE

QUITMAN, Texas. — Early success gave Cliff Prince the comfort and confidence to look for the big bites he needed to amass an eye-popping Day 1 limit of 32 pounds, 5 ounces that leads the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.

 Hailing from Palatka, Fla., site of the Elite season opener on the St. Johns River, Prince leads last year’s Lake Fork champion, local pro Lee Livesay of Longview, Texas, by 5 ounces.

 

“I had one place when I was working my way to the back of a pocket, and I caught 25 to 26 pounds off of that spot by about 9:30,” Prince said. “I caught everything I had off that first spot in about 20 minutes.

 

“I caught 10 fish there and they were still biting when I left.”

 

Knowing he had positioned himself well, Prince transitioned to a more aggressive strategy. Essentially, he became more discerning, as he sought quality over quantity.

 

Crowding throughout the lake, plus a strong Southwest wind blowing 15 to 20 mph, compelled him to remain in the creek where he started and diligently seek its greatest potential.

 

“Having 25 pounds early allowed me to go find what I found this afternoon,” he said. “I wasn’t in a hurry to go anywhere because I knew the wind was going to wipe out a lot of the stuff. I knew (big fish) live in that creek, and I knew it was the right place to be.

 

“I fished around in that area and tried to find something else and, late this afternoon, I tried to duplicate (my morning spot) and I ran across two other points that had some fish. On the second one I fished, I caught two 7-pounders. That’s what made the difference.”

Dudley and Thrift Move to MLF; Swindle and Palaniuk Back to Elites in 2020

Recruitment for 2020 already in full swing
By Luigi De Rose

As the G-Man and Palaniuk move back to the Bass Elites, under the legends exemption, MLF welcomes 2019 FLW Cup champ Bryan Thrift and 2019 FLW Angler of the Year David Dudley. Thrift and Dudley join several other top FLW pros who have abandoned the FLW Tour once the announcement that FLW and MLF have joined forces for the 2020 season.  

Greg Hackney Wins 2018 BASS Elite Sabine River with 48-05lbs.

Hack Attack goes Wire to Wire!

By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Managing bass key to Greg's wire to wire win.
(Photo: BASS)

If the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by Econo Lodge had been a five-day tournament, the outcome might have been different.
 
But it was only four days — and Greg Hackney owned it from start to finish.
 
Despite exhausting his best fishing areas the first three days and bringing in only 7 pounds, 5 ounces to the weigh-in stage on Championship Sunday, Hackney claimed his sixth career B.A.S.S. victory in wire-to-wire fashion with a four-day total of 48-5.
 
Hackney’s first win since 2016 earned him $100,000 and pushed his career winnings with B.A.S.S. to $2,415,784.
 
“If we’d had to fish another day, I probably would have hunted and gone to some new water,” Hackney said. “I really don’t think all of the fish were gone. But we had all of that rain Saturday, and my best place had a couple of drains running into it.
 
“The water wasn’t dirty, but the water temperature dropped to 80 degrees after being in the 90s the first three days.”
 
Hackney fished secluded canals and backwaters all week and relied heavily on two topwater presentations around shallow cover — a 1/4-ounce black Hack Attack Select ToadBuzz rigged with a black plastic toad (no skirt) and a KVD Sexy Frog Stump Jumper.
 
That drastic drop in the water temperature brought those tactics nearly to a halt today, and he had to switch to the technique he is most known for — flipping. When he flipped heavy cover, he used a Strike King Rage Bug in the Bama Craw color.
 
BASSTrakk, the unofficial leaderboard that fans can check on Bassmaster.com throughout the day, showed Hackney with only two fish several hours into the final round. But he said he always knew he could fill out his limit flipping — even if the fish he was catching with that technique were running much smaller than his topwater fish.
 
“I really was amped up a little bit today, and that’s why I got a lot quieter, said Hackney, laughing. “I always have a lot more to say when things are going right.
 
“But in the back of my mind, I knew I could pick up a flipping stick and catch a keeper anytime.”
 
His two best fish still came on the frog. But when he switched to flipping, he caught 10 keepers in 45 minutes.
 
“I probably should have done that sooner, but I just felt like I would have been punting,” he said. “Out of those 10 keepers I caught in the last 45 minutes flipping, they were all about 12 to 12 1/2 inches long.
 

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.

G-Man Moves to Humminbird and Minn Kota!

The 2016 BASS Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle is now running Humminbird, Minn Kota and Talons for the 2017 Elite Season. 

G-MAN is the 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Elite Angler of the Year!

Feider wins event with 26lb bag of smallmouth!
BASS PRESS RELEASE

G-Man finally is crowned AOY!
(Photo: BASS)

Gerald Swindle of Guntersville, Ala., clinched his second Angler of the Year title at the 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota.
 
A total purse of $1 million was paid out to the Top 50 Bassmaster Elite Series pros, along with berths to the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro. Swindle collected $100,000, and the remaining 49 anglers earned shares of the remaining $900,000.
 
The Top 39 anglers in the points standings have secured berths into the Classic next March on Lake Conroe near Houston, Texas.
 
Swindle, a 15-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, failed to catch a limit on the first day of the championship, but he figured out the fish and on the final day brought in 22 pounds.
 
“The last thing I wanted was to win this title without catching the kind of fish that Mille Lacs is known for producing,” Swindle said. “I left the docks this morning with the full intention of going out and catching them how I wanted to catch them. I threw a jerkbait and a vibrating jig and had an awesome day. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut.”
 
Swindle said a 7-pound largemouth he caught during the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., in late April was the turning point for his season.

2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Mille Lacs Lake Day 2: Swindle Banking on Point Spread!

Swindle down, but far from out. 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Another impressive day of hefty smallmouth astonished fans during the second round of the $1 million Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Minnesota's famed Mille Lacs Lake.

Points gap favours G-Man.
(Photo: BASS)

On Thursday, the Top 50 qualifiers from the Bassmaster Elite Series produced 23 limits exceeding the 20-pound mark. Today's field did one better by bringing 24 limits to the scales exceeding 20 pounds.

While that's an impressive turnout yet again, the angler who catches the heaviest three-day limit of bass does not win this tournament; rather points are the key to victory this week.

Gerald Swindle of Guntersville, Ala., held onto his Angler of the Year lead after weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces, which brought his two-day total to 25-6. He improved on Thursday's performance, but Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas, is within 28 points of Swindle in the AOY race.

2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Mille Lacs Lake Day 1: Swindle Misses Smallmouth Fest!

Omori bags giant 26 pound smallmouth limit
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Terrible day reduces AOY lead for G- Man.
(Photo: BASS)

Giant limits of smallmouth bass created quite the spectacle during the first weigh-in of the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota.
 
Twenty-three anglers crested the 20-pound mark with their individual five-fish daily limits. While that’s very impressive, this tournament isn’t won by the heaviest three-day total. Rather, it’s all about crowning the best angler of the 2016 season.
 
Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., came to Mille Lacs with a 43-point lead over Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas. Swindle didn’t have to do much coming into this tournament to lock up the AOY title. But during Thursday’s first round, the 15-time Classic qualifier struggled to locate the right fish.
 
Swindle brought only three bass to the scales that weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces.
 

Ott DeFoe Wins 2016 BASS Elite Mississippi River with 63-10 Pounds!

DeFoe rallies in last few hours. 

Dave Precht
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Ott DeFoe maintained his lead for the third day in a row to earn his first career regular-season Bassmaster Elite Series victory at the Plano Bassmaster Elite at the Mississippi River presented by Favorite Fishing.
 
DeFoe, of Knoxville, Tenn., produced a five-bass limit that weighed 12 pounds and 1 ounce on Championship Sunday taking his four-day total to 63 pounds, 10 ounces. 

Ott rallies as spillway bass disappear. (Photo: BASS)

DeFoe’s performance barely ousted Minnesota native Seth Feider who weighed in 13-8 for a total of 62-7, which was good enough for a second-place finish.
 
DeFoe’s victory earned him a $100,000 paycheck and a title that he has been striving for since his rookie season in 2011 — the same season the now 31-year-old pro was crowned Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year.
 


“I’ve done well in La Crosse before,” DeFoe said. “It’s an amazing fishery, and I feel very comfortable fishing here. I felt that I located the right fish during practice that might keep me competitive during each day of competition, and I’m thankful the pattern held up.
 
“It’s hard for me to put into words what winning this tournament means. 

2016 BASS Elite Potomac River Day 3: Justin Lucas Continues Lead!

Magic docks cools off big time!
By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

The heat is rising and his magical dock seems to be cooling off a little.

But despite catching only 12 pounds, 15 ounces during Saturday’s semifinal round, Alabama pro Justin Lucas is in position for a wire-to-wire win at the Bassmaster Elite at Potomac River presented by Econo Lodge.

Drop Shot key all week for Lucas (Photo BASS)

Lucas’ Saturday catch — easily his smallest of the week — pushed his three-day total to 53-1. He will enter Championship Sunday with a lead of almost 6 pounds over Indiana pro Bill Lowen (47-3).

Both anglers were covered with sweat backstage after Saturday’s weigh-in, with the heat index rising above 112 degrees.

“I had 10 pounds for a long time today,” Lucas said. “I don’t know why things slowed down the way they did. But I’m very fortunate to be where I am with this kind of lead.

“This all started from Day 1 of the tournament. I had no idea what lived under that dock — never even had a bite there in practice.”

A California native, Lucas has been using the kind of finesse tactics that West Coast anglers are known for. He’s caught a couple of fish on a stickbait and a couple on a swim jig, but the majority have been caught on spinning tackle with a drop shot rig.

ICAST 2016 TH Marine AquaStick for GOPRO with Gerald Swindle

TH Marine pro Gerald Swindle loves his GOPRO and he knows how to get great video. So, if you love to use a GOPRO then this is the accessory for you! The TH Marine AquaStick allows you to have power from the boat so your camera will never run out of energy. It also doubles as an underwater pole.

ICAST 2016 New HydroWave and Crappie HydroWave by TH Marine with Gerald ...

The HydroWave is an amazing product to help generate fish activity and keep them feeding. The G-MAN explains what you need to know about them. Did you know they have a Crappie HydroWave?

Greg Hackney's Day 1 Catch DQ due to Illegal Fishing in Marina

AOY Drama! 
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Louisiana angler Greg Hackney came into this week’s Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake with a commanding lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race — and it seemed for a while on Day 1 like he had maintained that lead.
 
Hackney caught 17 pounds, 8 ounces to land in 36th place, but it was announced after Thursday’s weigh-in that his catch had been disqualified.
 
“Greg Hackney’s Day 1 catch was disqualified for fishing in an off-limits area,” said B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon. “ There are several of these off-limits areas on Cayuga Lake. These areas were marked and confirmed with law enforcement. Then we took several steps to make the anglers aware of the areas, including posting them at the pre-tournament meeting Wednesday night.”
 
Hackney could not be reached for comment.
 
On glacier lakes in New York, state law says all man-made marinas and boat basins are private property. There are 11 such areas on Cayuga.
 
After the disqualification, Hackney fell from first place to fourth in Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, 37 points behind new leader Gerald Swindle. Jacob Powroznik is second, followed by Takahiro Omori.

Greg Hackney Wins 2016 BASS Elite Lake Texoma Tournament with 66-2lbs

Giant jig key to win. 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., started the day in third place, but weighed in 17 pounds, 15 ounces on Championship Sunday to increase his four-day winning total to 66-2 at the GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.

A win plus lead of BASS Angler of the Year! (Photo: BASS)

With his win, Hackney earned the $100,000 first-place prize and a berth in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic. Hackney’s final limit of bass helped him slip past Brandon Card of Caryville, Tenn., by a slim margin of 1-15.

Hackney, the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, knew he needed to have a solid day to contend for the win. As a result, he fished his spots in reverse order because the larger fish were biting later in day.

2016 BASSfest Lake Texoma Day 3: Casey Ashley Grabs Lead Again with 51-15!

Ashley surges ahead 
BASS PRESS RELEASE
Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., bounced back to reclaim the lead today after bringing 17 pounds, 5 ounces to the scale during the semi-final round of GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.
Ashley's limit of bass bumped his three-day total to 51-15, which is more than 3 pounds ahead of Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., who now sits in second.

Early morning bite key for Casey. (Photo: BASS)

"The morning hours are very important to producing a solid limit," Ashley said. "Once the sun gets high, the fish seem more reluctant to bite. It's flat-out challenging to cull up during the afternoon."
Even after three days of competition and several official practice days, the 2015 Bassmaster Classic champion said that he still isn't locked in on a specific pattern, but the fishing remains good in his area.
"During most tournaments you can often predict when and where the fish will bite, but here it's not that way at all. The fish are setting up in submerged bushes that are typically on dry land. When one does bite, it's very random compared to how and where the last fish did."
Ashley said that covering water and keeping his lure in the brush is the best way to find and catch active fish.

2016 BASSfest Lake Texoma Day 2: BASSfest get Hacked!

Hackey and Swindle Battle for Lead and AOY
By Thomas Allen
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Greg shinning in shallow water. (Photo BASS)

“You live by the sword, you die by the sword.”

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., uttered those words immediately after he weighed in a 20-pound, 2-ounce limit to take the lead Thursday during the GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.

Hackney’s two-day combined weight of 35-12 bumped Wednesday’s leader Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., into second place by 1 pound, 2 ounces.

“Yesterday I fished a pattern that produced some solid fish, and today it was more of the same thing — they were just bigger,” Hackney said. “The bite has been pretty unpredictable, but I’ve been able to narrow it down to one bait. It’s risky business relying on one presentation, because it could pay off big and win me this tournament, or it could end up costing me.”

Hackney came into this event leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, and he said it was his objective to strengthen that lead by staying consistent on the water.

“I’m a long ways from winning Angler of the Year, but I knew that a good finish here would put me one step closer,” said Hackney, the 2014 Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “I’m not concerning myself with anything other than tomorrow. If I can stay on the pattern and put together another solid limit, then I’ll start thinking about winning the derby. Right now, I’m just thankful for another great day.”

2015 Bassmaster Elite Chesapeake Bay Day 3: Aaron Martens Lead Going into Finals!

Martens Aims for Wire to Wire Win!

By Bryan Brasher

bass press release 

NORTH EAST, Md. — Aaron Martens said he’s exhausted after averaging only four hours of sleep a night since the tournament began, and he’s lost at least four good-size bass this week.

But through it all, he’s put himself in position to score a rare wire-to-wire victory at the Huk Performance Fishing Bassmaster Elite at Chesapeake Bay.

Spinnerbait key to Aaron's lead.
(Photo: BASS)

Martens caught five bass that weighed 16 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday and held onto his lead for the third straight day with a total of 48-13.

After entering Saturday’s semifinal round with a lead of only 11 ounces, Martens will begin Championship Sunday with nearly a 5-pound cushion over Indiana angler Bill Lowen (43-14). Alabamians Russ Lane (41-12) and Gerald Swindle (39-15) are next, followed by South Carolina pro Davy Hite (39-13).

“I was panicking a little bit today, all day until the end,” said Martens, who stretched his lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings to 69 points over Justin Lucas. “Every day has been like that. It was a nerve-racking day, to say the least.”

Martens caught two “good fish” (any bass weighing 3 pounds or better is considered “good” in this event) early and then pushed closer to a limit with one that weighed only about a pound. Then he lost four heavy bass before finally putting his fourth fish in the boat.

“That makes you kind of jittery,” Martens said. “But once I caught another one, I settled down and started thinking again.”

Jacob Wheeler Wins the 2014 BASSFest!

Wheeler Wins his First Elite

By Deb Johnson

bass PRess release

DAYTON, Tenn. — Jacob Wheeler chose the road less traveled. It led straight to victory Sunday in the inaugural Bassmaster BASSfest event.

Jacob is now a two tour winner and
making a huge name for himself.
(Photos: BASS)

The 23-year-old from Indianapolis, Ind., amassed 90 pounds, 6 ounces over four days of competition on Chickamauga Lake. His margin of victory was 5 pounds and 10 ounces over arguably the best angler on the planet, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kevin VanDam, who stepped up from third place to finish as the runner-up.

After leading for two days, Wheeler added a pad of 22-1 Sunday to clinch the win. He took home $125,000 and a qualification for the 2015 world championship, the Bassmaster Classic.

“I feel unbelievable,” said Wheeler, who at age 21 made a name for himself on the FLW tour by winning the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup. “To be the first BASSfest champion, and to do it in my first Elite Series event…I mean, these (Elite) guys are the best in the world. I couldn’t feel more humbled. The stars lined up for me this week.”

The Classic qualification means as much to him as the event win, he said.

“That’s so big, qualifying for the Classic,” Wheeler said. “That’s the event you want to be in for your career to advance. I’ve wanted to qualify for a Classic since I was 10 years old.”

Jason Christie Wins the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Lake Dardanelle Event!

Christie Wins by 4-ounces!
by Deb Johnson

Bass press release

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Jason Christie pulled off a 4-ounce “wonder” win Sunday in the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle.

It wasn’t a case of anyone thinking that a Christie victory would be a wonder. After all, the pro from Park Hill, Okla., was already an Elite champ from the 2013 season, and has a very successful career going. It was Christie himself who was kept guessing.

Jason beats out G-man to win. His win also includes
a free pass to the 2015 Classic.
(Photo: Seigo Saito BASS)

“At what point did you know you’d won this?” a reporter asked Christie, who had started out the championship round in fourth place.

“When they announced on stage I was the winner,” Christie replied. “To be 3 pounds back, and feeling like I needed low 20s (pounds) to win, makes the win special,” he said.

His prize was $100,000 and a win-you’re-in qualification for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.

Christie produced a final-day weight close to what he thought he needed to win: 19 pounds, 2 ounces. His four-day total was 72 pounds, 3 ounces.

His margin of victory was 4 ounces over Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., finishing in second place with 71-15 after producing the day’s largest weight of 20-1.

Bassmaster All-Stars: Final Four!

Ashley, Evers, DeFoe and Swindle survive first round finalsBy Deb Johnson

By Deb Johnson
BASS Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Eight came, four remain and in one case, the decision went down to 1 ounce.
By besting their Friday opponents, Casey Ashley, Edwin Evers, Ott DeFoe and Gerald Swindle earned their way into the second round of the Evan Williams Bourbon All-Star Championship on the Alabama River.

The Final 4!
(Photo: Adam Harbottle BASS)

Saturday’s matches, predetermined by a bracketed playoff structure, will be Ashley vs. Evers and DeFoe vs. Swindle. The two winners will compete for a winner-take-all prize of $100,000 on Sunday.
The tournament’s match play — unique in the sport of pro bass fishing — set up heated head-to-head contests Friday, not the least of which was Swindle vs. Terry Scroggins. They’re travel buddies when they’re on the Bassmaster Elite Series trail, and good friends who are used to sharing information. Even though they went head-to-head Friday, both said they still traded information on techniques and patterns.
Swindle won — by 1 ounce. He had 12 pounds, 5 ounces, to Scroggins’ 12-4.