Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Monday, November 24, 2025
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Polar Bear Report
Marc Evans and Bill Hovermale won the Polar Bear Open last weekend at Duke’s Bridge.
There were 22 teams competing and they weighed in 10 limits, with smallmouth providing most of the catches. The water was stained and low and hovered in the 43-to-46-degree temperature.
The winners had 13.85 pounds to win $630. They said they fished blade baits, working them shallow early and deeper as the day progressed.
Eben Lambert and Jeremy Bunnell were close behind to finish second ($315) with 12.95 pounds. They fished blade baits and caught a quick limit then culled throughout the day.
Third place ($190) went to Christian and Trevor Vann who had 12.02 pounds and won the big bass pot ($400) with a 5.53-pound largemouth. They fished blade baits in water 20 feet and deeper.
Steve Kline and Aaron Likens were fourth ($125) with10.87 pounds.
Thomas Helmuth and Johnathan Miller won the critter pot with a 9.65-pound pike.
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Michiana Singles Open Report
After fishing windy conditions and tough fishing the day before at Magician Lake, the nine Michiana Singles Open contestants faced more blustery conditions Sunday on the St. Joseph Benton Harbor.
But, man, the fish bit much better than the day before. Despite the 40-degree and windy conditions, most teams weighed in four-fish limits and big smallmouth showed up.
Evan De La Rosa took home his third win this fall at Benton Harbor. He had four fish weighing 17.66 pounds and a giant 6.22-pound smallmouth to win that top prize as well. He said he bounced all over the river in several depths using tubes to take home $260 for first and another $40 for the big fish.
Zack McNary also fished alone and weighed in four keeper bass totaling 14.74 pounds and had the second biggest bass, a 5.42 pounder. McNary used a jig and his forward-facing sonar in 20 feet. He won $160 for second place.
Cole and Luke (no last name provided) were third with 12.80 pounds caught on A-rigs in 20 feet.
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Michiana Singles Report
The father/son team of Brent and Jake Burgess out-battled eight other teams in windy conditions on Magician Lake Saturday to win Michiana Singles Open.
Conditions were tough as was the fishing and the lake temperature was between 49 and 51 degrees.
The Burgess team had three fish weighing 7.62 pounds, topped by the biggest bass of the day, a 3.04 pounder. The big bass was caught on a jig early in the tournament, but then reality hit with only two more bits the rest of the day. Burgesses also used Chatterbaits in water 10 feet or less to take home $260 for first and $40 for the big fish.
Loren Crosbie fished alone and finished second with four bass totaling 7.10 pounds. Crosbie used drop-shot rigs in 5 feet or less to win $160.
Dan Posey and Brad Baker were third with three bass weighing 4 pounds. They fished Chatterbaits in 10 feet or less.
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Polar Bear Open Report
Mason Alverado and Mike Granger found a good sack of bass shallow Saturday in the Polar Bear Open on Lake Wawasee.
They beat out 23 other teams competing in the 30-to-40-degree weather.
The winners fished Chatterbaits and tube jigs in five feet or less to catch 13.75 pounds and had the biggest bass, a 4.69 pounder. They won $700 for first and $230 for big bass.
Bob Hyatt and Carl Bowser fished wacky worms and Chatterbaits shallow to catch 13.75 pounds and win $350 for second.
Third place ($210) went to Hunter Patton and Dave Morrow who had 9.86 pounds caught on jigs in shallow cover.
Dan and Legend Hurd were fourth ($140) with 9.41 pounds.
Seth Spaulding and John Davis won the critter pot ($230) with a 7.79-pound pike.
The Polar Bear Open circuit will take this weekend off for the deer gun opener. The next event is Nov. 22 at Duke’s Bridge from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Michiana Singles Report
The Michiana Singles held back-to-back Open tourneys last weekend, with the first on Diamond Lake and the second on the river at Benton Harbor.
Here are the results:
Diamond Lake
Eight teams braved the 40-degree weather and caught several good fish in an event fished with a four-fish limit.
Korey Bloss fished solo to win with 11.54 pounds, and he also had the biggest bass, a 4.18-pound largemouth. Bloss used tubes in 8 feet of water to take home $260 for first and $40 for big bass.
Loren Crosbie also fished alone and had 10.94 pounds for second. His sack included the second biggest bass of the day, a 3.16-pound largemouth. Crosbie used Chatterbaits in 8 feet or less to earn $160.
Ron Fabazack and Jason Folwer teamed up to catch four that weighed 6.20 pounds for third. Fabazack and Fowler used jigs in 10 feet.
St. Joe at Benton Harbor
The weather was a lot more brutal in the Sunday event, as air temperatures dipped into the mid-30s and the derby was fished by seven teams in a wintery mix.
Evan DeLaRosa won the four-fish limit event with 16.08 pounds and had a 5.22-pound smallmouth to take big bass honors. DeLaRosea said he fished small jigs on the bottom to take home $210 and the $30 big bass bonus.
Rick Kedik had three fish for 8.82 pounds which was good enough for second place. He used blade baits in 8 feet.
Luke Tolner had three for 6.70 pounds by fishing A-rigs in deep water.
The next Open is another double header starting Nov.15th at Magician Lake and Nov. 16th at Benton Har-Benton Harbor. Hours are 8-1 with a $60 entry fee. For details, contact Rick 269-240-4917.