2024 MLF B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented by Power-Pole Bass Pro Tour on Toledo Bend: Cornnell Grabs Lead of Group B

Connell cruises to Group B lead with 81-14 on Toledo Bend

Mitchell Forde 

BASS PRO TOUR Press Release 

MANY, La. – As if Dustin Connell didn’t have enough motivation when he took to the water for Group B’s first day of competition at B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole on Toledo Bend — wanting to start the 2024 season strong, to get back in the Championship Round after making just one Top 10 last year — all he had to do was look at SCORETRACKER®.

Jacob Wheeler, who has roomed with Connell throughout their Bass Pro Tour careers, rocketed to the Day 1 lead in Group A when he landed 28 bass for 91 pounds on Tuesday. Though they wouldn’t compete head-to-head until the Knockout Round, Connell wanted to one-up his close friend.

He nearly pulled it off. Connell reeled in 27 bass totaling 81-14 on Wednesday, easily leading the 40 anglers in Group B. 

“I always try to beat Jacob,” Connell said. “It’s very hard to do. He’s on another level, and he motivates me to become better every day. It’s just cool to see me and him on top.”

Connell headlines a strong leaderboard after Group B’s first day of the Qualifying Round. He’s nearly 20 pounds clear of reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year Matt Becker, who sits in second. Two-time Bass Pro Tour winner Alton Jones Jr. lurks in third with 54-2, 7-10 behind Becker.

The full standings can be found here.

MLF Bass Pro Tour taps Raleigh, N.C. Lakes for March 2019 Destination

Major League Fishing today announced that Raleigh, N.C., is the third destination for the 2019 Bass Pro Tour, and that three prolific nearby lakes will be used over the course of the event's March 26-31 competition dates.

 

Falls Lake, Shearon Harris Reservoir and Jordan Lake are the waters to share in the prestige of hosting bass fishing's newest and highest profile tournament series, which features 80 of the best professional anglers in the country.

 

"North Carolina is well-known for its outdoors and natural beauty and our amazing lakes are no exception," said Tori Collins, Associate Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance. "We're excited to showcase the fishing-rich culture of our region and all the Raleigh area has to offer to the best anglers in the country and spectators alike."

 

"Raleigh is a great example of how our Bass Pro Tour format allows us to take advantage of smaller venues with excellent fishing opportunities among multiple lakes instead of our having to pick a spot based only on size," said MLF's Michael Mulone. "I know our guys are excited about visiting these great bass fisheries during the prime spring period. It's sure to be a wildly entertaining competition."

 

Located in the Cape Fear River drainage, Shearon Harris Reservoir is a 4,000-acre power plant lake considered to be one of North Carolina's most prolific bass fisheries. A Wildlife Resources Commission fact sheet reports that an impressive 41 percent of the largemouth bass surveyed in 2017 were within the lake's 16- to 20-inch slot limit. It also noted that back-to-back tournaments in 2017 were won with five-fish limits weighing over 40 pounds.

Falls Lake also gets high marks as a bass fishery. The 26-mile-long lake is said to have three very distinctive segments across its length, meaning that at least one area could be at the peak of bass spawning activity in the late March timeframe, potentially increasing the chances of a bass 10 pounds or more showing up.