Dustin Connell Wins 2024 MLF B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented by Power-Pole Bass Pro Tour on Toledo Bend!

Mitchell Forde 

BASS PRO TOUR Press Release 

MANY, La. — As the second period of the Championship Round ticked away at B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented by Power-Pole, Dustin Connell felt his lead slowly slipping away. The Alabama native had gotten off to a hot start, catching nearly 40 pounds of Toledo Bend bass in the first period and claiming the top spot on SCORETRACKER®. But around 1 p.m., his bite fizzled, and the field slowly chipped away. At one point, Zack Birge got within one scorable bass of the lead.

So, Connell ran to a new spot, one he hadn’t visited since the Qualifying Round. On his first cast of Period 3, he hooked into a 4-pounder. In that moment, the match met the proverbial fuse, sparking an epic display of fireworks. 

During the two-hour final period, Connell boated a whopping 20 scorable bass weighing 58 pounds, 6 ounces, bringing his total for the day to 112-4 on 36 fish. In the end, he blew away the field, finishing 44-2 clear of runner-up Spencer Shuffield, who couldn’t quite recapture his Knockout Round magic. Drew Gill finished third in his Bass Pro Tour debut with 19 bass weighing 66-8.

“I looked for something like this all week,” Connell said. “And I can’t believe that it happened.”

Connell’s total marked the biggest day for any angler during the event — despite the Championship Round being shortened by 30 minutes due to a 1-hour, 45-minute fog delay. The win marks his fifth Bass Pro Tour victory and his third straight in regular-season events contested with every-fish-counts scoring. He also won the final two tournaments of the 2022 season.

Connell will take home $100,000 for the win, plus an extra $1,000 for boating the Berkley Big Bass of the day — a 7-14. Cliff Crochet’s 11-1 lunker caught on the first day of the event earned him $3,000 as the Berkley Big Bass for the tournament.

Here’s how the Top 10 anglers finished the Championship Round:

1. Dustin Connell — 112-4 (36 bass)

2. Spencer Shuffield — 68-2 (22)

3. Drew Gill — 66-8 (19)

4. Jacob Wheeler — 60-15 (18)

5. Zack Birge — 60-3 (19)

6. Martin Villa — 60-3 (21)

7. Alton Jones Jr. — 50-10 (19)

8. Justin Cooper — 48-6 (15)

9. Jesse Wiggins — 42-11 (15)

10. Matt Becker — 28-11 (10)

Ever since the BPT schedule was unveiled for 2024, Connell has had his eye on Toledo Bend. Given the late-winter timing of the event, he figured it would suit his strengths — namely, finding schools of fish with forward-facing sonar. And after failing to make a Championship Round during the 2023 regular season, he was hungry to get back in the Top 10.

2024 MLF B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented by Power-Pole Bass Pro Tour on Toledo Bend: Shuffield Blasts Knockout Round!

Shuffield breaks 100-pound mark, leads charge into Championship Round

Even after a successful Knockout Round, Spender Shuffield says he has more tricks up his sleeve for tomorrow's Championship Round. Photo by Rob Matsuura. 

Mitchell Forde 

BASS PRO TOUR Press Release 

MANY, La. — Spencer Shuffield joined an exclusive club of Bass Pro Tour anglers by stacking more than 100 pounds of bass on SCORETRACKER® in a single day. Shuffield won the Knockout Round at B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole on Saturday with 30 Toledo Bend bass that weighed a combined 101 pounds, 14 ounces.

A handful of anglers have put up 100-pound days during the first six Bass Pro Tour seasons, but Shuffield is the first to do so with all largemouth. Perhaps even more impressive than hitting the century mark is that he did so while keeping some fish in reserve for Sunday’s Championship Round. While weights will zero when the Top 10 anglers return to the water, Shuffield is optimistic that he can put up even bigger numbers and claim his first career BPT win.

“Tomorrow it’s all going to get left out there on the table, so I’m looking forward to it,” Shuffield said. “I haven’t been able to truly lean on these fish yet this week. Tomorrow, we get to – and, man, it would be sweet to break 200 pounds, because it’s definitely possible.”

Shuffield finished the Knockout Round 21-14 ahead of Dustin Connell, who racked up more than 45 pounds in the first period before switching to practice mode. Jacob Wheeler finished third with 72-12. Those three have looked to be the most in tune with Toledo Bend’s bass all week, but the race for the first trophy of the 2024 season will be wide open. All the action will be streamed live on MLFNOW! on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT.

The 10 anglers who advanced to the Championship Round are listed below. Complete results can be found here.

1. Spencer Shuffield — 101-14 (30)
2. Dustin Connell — 80-1 (30)
3. Jacob Wheeler — 72-12 (22)
4. Zack Birge — 65-13 (20)
5. Drew Gill — 60-13 (18)
6. Matt Becker — 55-12 (18)
7. Justin Cooper — 52-7 (20)
8. Alton Jones Jr. — 50-13 (17)
9. Martin Villa — 43-0 (14)
10.  Jesse Wiggins — 38-15 (14)

Shuffield eyeing even bigger encore

Shuffield had never fished Toledo Bend prior to December, when he spent a few days on the massive reservoir to pre-practice for Stage One. Ever since that visit, he’s had his sights set on taking home the first trophy of the year.