Huge Kicker Pushes Fothergill to Victory; Thomas Finishes 5th in Bassmaster Open

Details

Published: 23 June 2024

B.A.S.S. Report

Easton Fothergill - 1st Place

EUFAULA, Okla. — Easton Fothergill’s an easygoing guy with no apparent mean streak, but he started Day 3 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by SEVIIN with a chip on his shoulder. Suffice to say, his winning total of 52 pounds, 8 ounces more than settled the score.

Keeping himself near the top, the pro from Grand Rapids, Minn., weighed a third-place limit of 17-12 on Day 1 and held his position with a second-round limit of 16-11. Championship Saturday saw Fothergill charge ahead with his biggest bag, a limit of 18-1 that pushed him across the finish line.

Edging Andrew Loberg by 2-12, Fothergill collected the $44,155 top prize and received an invitation to fish the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors March 21-23 on Lake Ray Roberts.

Bo Thomas of Edwardsburg, Mich. - 5th Place

Michiana’s Bo Thomas of Edwardsburg, Mich. led for part of the championship Saturday after holding down second place going into the finals. However, He couldn’t get the kicker he needed and fell to fifth overall and still came home with $11,486.

Read more …

KVD Ends Career with another Big Payday

Details

Published: 24 May 2024

By Louie Stout

Kevin VanDam

Leave it to Kevin VanDam to leave an exclamation point in the last tournament of his amazing pro career.

As you may recall, KVD retired at the end of the last Pro Bass Tour season. However, his 2023 season qualified him for the Redcrest, the Pro Bass Tour’s (PBT) season championship, and the Heavy Hitters Tournament.

The Heavy Hitters Tournament held last week on Lake Kissimmee in Florida is a stand-alone event that attracts the top 30 PBT big bass catchers from the previous season.

It was KVD’s career finale.

He didn’t win the tournament, but he finished fourth and won $100,000 for catching the biggest bass in the tournament, a 7-12 largemouth.

His fourth-place finish, combined with the big bass prize, won him $118,000 which was more than tournament winner Jordan Lee, who won $100,000.

That concludes KVD’s 33-year career tournament winnings in both Bassmaster and PBT events at $7,216,370. Those include 29 tournament victories, 122 top 10 finishes, four Bassmaster Classic wins and eight Angler of Year titles.

While his tournament career has ended, VanDam will launch a new career, hosting his own television show, “The VanDam Experience,” on the Outdoor Channel this winter.