Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Monday, January 20, 2025
- Details
By Louie Stout
Michiana Outdoors News has received another tournament schedules for our 2025 Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar, bringing the total to eight.
The schedule now includes the Michiana Singles Opens (Thursdays and Sundays) for anglers who enjoy fishing alone in competition.
Also, we will be introducing an all-new calendar design that we hope will be easier for anglers to navigate.
The schedules will be posted in early January and we anticipate more coming over the next couple of weeks. Due to a required and lengthy website platform update, we can’t post them to the calendar until after the update is completed by our web service in early January.
Schedules and details of tournaments we received so far are listed below. We encourage other tournament directors working on their dates to review these schedules to avoid scheduling on top of them.
If you want your benefit tourney or full circuit posted, send us the info – such as what other directors provided below – to HYPERLINK "mailto:stoutoutdoors@comcast.net"
stoutoutdoors@comcast.net.
Michiana Singles Opens
Rick Kedik is running this “fish alone” circuit again with a $55 entry fee. Of that, $5 goes to the big bass pot, $10 to the classic pot and $40 to that specific tournament pay-out.
Regular season events are held Thursdays and Sundays.
There will be a $100 entry to the Nov. 1-2 Classic and you must fish five to qualify. Contact Kedik, 269-240-4917
Schedule:
Sunday events:
March 30 Pine/Stone, LaPorte, Ind. 7-1
May 4 Potato Creek (East ramp) 6-1
June 22 Potato Creek (Barn ramp) 6-1
Aug 10 Diamond Lake 7-1
Oct. 12 Magician 7-1
Thursdays (5:30-9 p.m.):
April 10 St. Joe Maggies
May 29 Magician
July 3 Donnell
July 31 Potato Creek (East ramp)
Oct. 9 Eagle Lake
Classic Nov. 1-2 (site announced in June)
Little Money Bass Tournaments (LMBT)
Tournament fees for this group are $70 per team, which includes $10 for big bass. Membership fees are $10 per person and must be paid before first event. You must fish five of the six tournaments to qualify for the season-ending Classic. Contact Dave Dowden, 574-612-3355 or Chet Perry 574-344-9332.
Schedule:
April 19 Webster Lake 7-3
May 17 Tippecanoe Lake 6:30-2:30
June 14 Magician Lake 6:30-2:30
July 19 Stump Bay 6:30-2:30
Aug. 16 Wynona Lake 7-3
Sept. 20 St. Joe River at Constantine 7-3
Oct. 11 Classic, St. Joe River at Benton Harbor
Michiana Anglers Club (MAC)
Tournament Director Jerry Velthouse says the circuit will be limited to the first 12 teams that sign up. There is no membership fee, but teams must buy in up front for $800 that will cover all events, including the Classic. Each tournament pays top three finishers and the big bass prize will be sponsored by Pig Pluckers Baits. Tournaments will run for seven hours beginning at first light. For more information, email Velthouse at wolverinenation86@gmail.com.
Schedule:
April 12 Lake George
May 10 St. Joe River at 6 Span Ramp
May 24 St. Joe River at Maggies Landing
July 12 Magician Lake
Aug 2 Morrow Lake
Sept. 6 Shafer Lake
Oct. 5-6 Classic at Muskegon Lake
Stars and Stripes
Bill Mathews created this new Stars and Stripes regional divisional circuit that doesn’t require a membership the first year. Entry fee is $100 per team and tournaments run eight hours. A Stars and Stripes membership isn’t required to fish the local tournaments, but those who join Stars and Stripes can qualify for the Tournament of Champions at Kentucky Lake Nov. 7-8. Contact Mathews for details at Bassinbill96@gmail.com.
Schedule:
June 8 Gull Lake 6-2
June 22 Austin Lake 6-2
July 13 Austin Lake 6-2
July 27 Gull Lake 6-2
August 10 Gull Lake 6:30-2:30
August 24 Austin Lake 6:30-2:30
13 Sticks
Randy Walls and Mark Flotow came up with this novel idea of a singles (no partner) circuit that will consist of the first 11 anglers to register. You must pre-pay the seasonal entry fee ($420) to cover all seven events. All tournaments are seven hours long and begin at first light. Contact Walls at 219-221-1109 or visit 13 Sticks Facebook page.
Schedule:
April 13 Dewart Lake
May 3 St Joe River, Maggies Landing
May 31 Hamilton Lake
June 15 Wawasee, Syracuse Ramp
July 20 Webster Lake
Aug. 9 Austin Lake
Sept. 20 Grand River
Michiana Fishing League
Michael Smith is the new tournament director for this revamped league. There is a $50 entry fee, $10 big bass pot and $5 critter pot. Hours are 6-2. Classic will be determined by a point system. Contact: MichianaFishingLeague@gmail.com.
Schedule:
March 30 Webster
April 13 Lake of the Woods (Indiana)
May 4 Barbee Chain
May 18 Wawasee
June 1 Juno
June 15 Donnell
June 29 St. Joe River at Benton Harbor
July 13 Gull Lake
July 27 Kalamazoo Lake
Aug. 10 Lake Tippecanoe
Aug. 24 Paw Paw East
Sept. 7 Corey Lake
Sept. 21 Van Auken
Oct. 4-5 Classic TBD
Four Flags
Entry fee is $80 (includes big bass pot). To qualify for the Classic, you must fish four of the regular season events. Contact Scott Solomon, 269-340-4757.
Schedule:
May 24 Diamond 6-12
June 8 Magician 6-12
June 22 Klinger 6-12
July 12 St. Joe River at Buchanan 6-12
Aug. 10 Van Auken 6:30-12:30
Aug. 23 Corey 6:30-12:30
Sept. 20-21 Classic Lake St. Clair
SMAC
Once again, SMAC (Southwest Michigan Anglers Club) will run Tuesday nighters and weekend events. Entry fee is $60 a team and you must fish seven events (includes combination of weeknights and weekenders) to qualify for the Classic. Tournament hours are yet to be determined. Contact Scott Crocker 269-591-4667 or visit Facebook page, “SMAC Fishing.”
Schedule:
May 24 Paw Paw
May 31 Magician
June 10 Eagle
June 14 Diamond
June 24 Juno
June 28 Klinger
July 5 St. Joe at Niles
July 6 St. Joe at Buchanan
July 15 Magician
July 26 Corey
July 29 Mill Pond
Aug. 9 Paw Paw
Aug 12 Diamond
Aug 23 Eagle
Aug. 26 Corey
Sept. 6 Juno
Sept. 20-21 Burt and Mullet
- Details
By Louie Stout
Michiana Outdoors News has received two more tournament schedules for our 2025 Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar, bringing the total to seven so far.
Schedules added include the Little Money Bass Tournament and the Michiana Anglers Club.
Also, we made corrections to the Michiana Fishing League schedule. We omitted a tournament on Lake Tippecanoe and messed up a date the August Paw Paw tournament. In addition, more info has been added to the Stars and Stripes circuit. Those changes have been made below.
The schedules will be posted in early January and we anticipate more coming over the next couple of weeks. Due to a required and lengthy website platform update, we can’t post them to the calendar until after the update is completed by our web service in early January.
Schedules and details of tournaments we received so far are listed below. We encourage other tournament directors working on their dates to review these schedules to avoid scheduling on top of them.
- Details
By Louie Stout
Michiana Outdoors News has received five tournament schedules – including two new circuits - for our 2025 Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar.
Those schedules will be posted in early January and we anticipate more coming over the next couple of weeks. Due to a required and lengthy website platform update, we can’t post them to the calendar until after the update is completed by our web service in early January.
Schedules and details of tournaments we received so far are listed below. We encourage other tournament directors working on their dates to review these schedules to avoid scheduling on top of them.
If you want your benefit tourney or full circuit posted, send us the info – such as what other directors provided below – to stoutoutdoors@comcast.net.
Stars and Stripes
Bill Mathews created this new circuit that doesn’t require a membership. Entry fee is $100 per team and tournaments run eight hours. Contact Mathews for details at Bassinbill96@gmail.com
Schedule:
June 8 Gull Lake 6-2
June 22 Austin Lake 6-2
July 13 Austin Lake 6-2
July 27 Gull Lake 6-2
August 10 Gull Lake 6:30-2:30
August 24 Austin Lake 6:30-2:30
13 Sticks
Randy Walls and Mark Flotow came up with this novel idea of a singles (no partner) circuit that will consist of the first 11 anglers to register. You must pre-pay the seasonal entry fee ($420) to cover all seven events. All tournaments are seven hours long and begin at first light. Contact Walls at 219-221-1109 or visit 13 Sticks Facebook page.
Schedule:
April 13 Dewart Lake
May 3 St Joe River, Maggies Landing
May 31 Hamilton Lake
June 15 Wawasee, Syracuse Ramp
July 20 Webster Lake
Aug. 9 Austin Lake
Sept. 20 Grand River
Michiana Fishing League
Michael Smith is the new tournament director for this revamped league. There is a $50 entry fee, $10 big bass pot and $5 critter pot. Hours are 6-2. Classic will be determined by a point system. Contact: MichianaFishingLeague@gmail.com
Schedule:
March 30 Webster
April 13 Lake of the Woods (Indiana)
May 4 Barbee Chain
May 18 Wawasee
June 1 Juno
June 15 Donnell
June 29 St. Joe River at Benton Harbor
July 13 Gull Lake
July 27 Kalamazoo Lake
Aug. 10 Paw Paw
Sept. 7 Corey Lake
Sept. 21 Van Auken
Oct. 4-5 Classic TBD
Four Flags
Entry fee is $80 (includes big bass pot). To qualify for the Classic, you must fish four of the regular season events. Contact Scott Solomon, 269-340-4757.
Schedule:
May 24 Diamond 6-12
June 8 Magician 6-12
June 22 Klinger 6-12
July 12 St. Joe River at Buchanan 6-12
Aug. 10 Van Auken 6:30-12:30
Aug. 23 Corey 6:30-12:30
Sept. 20-21 Classic Lake St. Clair
SMAC
Once again, SMAC (Southwest Michigan Anglers Club) will run Tuesday nighters and weekend events. Entry fee is $60 a team and you must fish seven events (includes combination of weeknights and weekenders) to qualify for the Classic. Tournament hours are yet to be determined. Contact Scott Crocker 269-591-4667 or visit Facebook page, “SMAC Fishing.”
Schedule:
May 24 Paw Paw
May 31 Magician
June 10 Eagle
June 14 Diamond
June 24 Juno
June 28 Klinger
July 5 St. Joe at Niles
July 6 St. Joe at Buchanan
July 15 Magician
July 26 Corey
July 29 Mill Pond
Aug. 9 Paw Paw
Aug 12 Diamond
Aug 23 Eagle
Aug. 26 Corey
Sept. 6 Juno
Sept. 20-21 Burt and Mullet
- Details
MLF Report
After more than four decades of delivering bass fishing journalism through its print publication, Major League Fishing (MLF) has announced the December 2024 issue of MLF Bass Fishing magazine will be its final printed edition. This decision reflects evolving reader preferences and MLF’s commitment to providing content in the formats anglers and fans overwhelmingly prefer.
Originally launched in 1981 as CAST Magazine, MLF Bass Fishing magazine has been a trusted source of bass fishing expertise and inspiration for millions of anglers. However, as the digital era continues to transform the way people consume information, MLF is pivoting to focus on delivering its world-class content through video, social media and other digital platforms.
“Today’s consumers demand instant access to engaging content, with a significant emphasis on video,” said Boyd Duckett, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “Research shows that video now accounts for 82% of all internet traffic, and viewers retain 95% of a message when delivered through video compared to just 10% through text. While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to our printed magazine, this transition allows us to focus our resources on continuing to expand our digital presence and create new opportunities to connect with our fans, anglers, and sponsors.”
As part of the transition, MLF is reducing its premium membership fee from $95 to $85 – reflecting the cost of the magazine subscription. Premium members will receive a pro-rated credit for any unfulfilled magazine issues, while subscriber members will be issued refunds for unfulfilled issues.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
- Details
By Louie Stout
Springtime tournament fishing may seem like a long ways away, but tournament groups already are putting together schedules and registering them with the respective DNR programs.
As a result, Michiana Outdoors News is reminding tournament directors to get us their schedules once they are finalized. They will be posted on our Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar that is found on the home page and other pages of the website.
We welcome seasonal tournament circuits, open events and charity events.
There is no charge for posting the schedules. It’s a popular item on the site and where anglers go to find details of events they might want to fish.
By getting your schedule to us early, it reduces the chance of other groups scheduling on top of you.
We are primarily interested in events held in northern Indiana and southern Michigan although we will include tournaments scheduled outside Michiana if the circuit is based in northern Indiana/southern Michigan or if the circuit makes visits to our regional waters. Schedules for the Events Calendar must include dates, entry fees, tournament hours, name/phone number of a tournament director contact, and ramp location (if the lake has more than one. Tournaments/circuits must be open to the public.
Send your tournament information to stoutoutdoors@comcast.net.