Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
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LW Report
Wilson Burton of Findlay, Ohio
Boater Wilson Burton of Findlay, O. brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 40 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Michigan Division Super-Tournament at the Detroit River.
For his victory, Burton earned $7,829.
The tournament was the fifth and final event in the 2020 Michigan Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
"I've fished BFLs for years and have come close to a win, but this is my first victory and it feels good," said Burton. "I changed things up and started bouncing hole to hole which has been beneficial."
"I tend to get stuck in one spot and think they will show up, but the key to smallmouth is to keep jumping. I probably hit 15 different spots each day and I think it paid off."
Burton said he caught his key fish using mango magic-colored Poor Boys Tubes and green pumpkin and goby-colored Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Flat Worms.
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SMAC Report
Chad Worvey and Chris Maynard - 1st Place
Chad Worvey and Chris Maynard won the Southwest Michigan Bass Club (SMAC) two-day classic last weekend on the Elk/Skegmog/Torch Chain near Traverse City.
The winners had 10 bass weighing 40.53 caught on drop-shots and A-rigs.
Brian and Renee Hensley - 2nd Place
Terry Smith and Scott Crocker - 3rd Place
Brian and Renee Hensley were second with 10 bass weighing 37.05 pounds caught on drop-shots and jigs while Terry Smith and Scott Crocker had 10 bass weighing 29.79 caught on A-rigs and Senkos.
Matt Davis and Billy Mathews - 4th Place
Matt Davis and Billy Mathews were fourth with 10 weighing 29.72 caught on A-rigs.
Mickey and Bo Thomas were fifth with 29.01. No lures or tactics were mentioned.
Jeff Stankovich and Paul Groves finished sixth with 27.97 pounds caught on A-rigs.
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FLW Report
Pro Scott Dobson of Clarkston
Pro Scott Dobson of Clarkston brought a five-bass limit to the scales Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 9 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at the Detroit River.
Dobson's three-day total of 15 bass weighing 59-3 earned him the win by a 1-pound, 7-ounce margin over second-place angler Troy Stokes of Brownstown, Michigan, and earned Dobson the top payout of $27,534 in the third and final tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Northern Division.
Dobson said that he caught fish on more than a half dozen baits and weighed fish from the mouth of the Detroit River near Erie to the mouth of the St. Clair River in St. Clair.
"I appreciate them making the call to keep us all in the river day one and two, I don't think I've ever fished 16 hours in the Detroit River in two tournament days," said Dobson. "I grew up here in Trenton, I see a lot of Trenton people here, it's awesome to win a big tournament out of Trenton."
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Casting Couples Report
Scott Culp and Scott Woods - 1st Place
Scott Culp and Scott Woods (Elkhart) had five keeper bass weighing 12.14lbs to win the Casting Couples on Diamond Lake recently.
Culp and Woods also had big bass honors with a 4.95-pound largemouth. They fished most of the day in 6-10 feet of water. All their fish were caught on Native Pride jigs, they had just purchased that morning. They won $285.
2nd Place
Brett Gessinger and Mike VanderReyden - 3rd Place
Brett Gessinger and Mike VanderReyden (Goshen) had five keeper bass weighing 10.78 pounds for third ($120). Gessinger and VanderReyden used spinnerbaits.
Dan Posey and Jim Gargis - 4th Place
Dan Posey and Jim Gargis (Niles) had five keeper bass totaling 9.50 pounds for fourth. They fished in 8-12 feet with spinnerbaits and jigs.
Rick Kedik and Jake Lisenko (South Bend) had five keeper bass totaling 8.96lbs for fifth. They fished jigs in 10-17 feet.
Casting Couples will host a few opens in October and November. Time and dates will be announced soon.
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By Al McGuckin
VanDam’s Sentimental Tokens
He’s garnered 7 Bassmaster Angler of the year titles, 4 Bassmaster Classic victories, and 3 MLF Cup wins, and rest assured, if you were tossing bean bags in a game of backyard cornhole with him, he’d muster everything in his jerkbait slinging’ fibers to win that, too.
Yet, within bass fishing’s all-time greatest angler lies a loyal and sentimental heart only those closest to him get to see. If you don’t believe it, check the Plano waterproof stowaway inside the pullout storage drawer of his Nitro Boat. That’s where you’ll find a collection of heartfelt tokens “KVD” never leaves home without.