Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Tuesday, April 07, 2026
Tuesday, April 07, 2026
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Casting Couples Report Tanner Hursh and Hailey Dodd won the 10th annual Casting Couples Classic last weekend at Lake Margrethe near Grayling, Mich. Hursh and Dodd had 16.46 pounds to win $1000. They also had bass honors with a 4.8-pound Largemouth to earn an additional $100. They used drop-shot rigs and jigs in 20 feet of water most of the day. Second place ($600) was won by Scott and Patty Smith with 15.54 pounds. The Smiths used jigs in shallow water. Loren and Carrie Crosbie were third ($400) with 15.36 pounds. The Crosbies said they started in 15 feet, then later in the day they made a move to go shallow using tubes. Fourth place went to Scott and LeeAnn Sizemore with 13.52 pounds, worth $310. They earned an extra $50 for second biggest bass of the day, a 4.14-pound largemouth. Most of their fish were caught in five feet or less on Ned rigs and tubes. There were seven limits caught and 13 of 14 teams brought in a keeper. A total of 51 Smallmouth and Largemouth bass were weighted in. In other seasonal awards, Eddy Inc. Anglers of the Year points championship went to Ryan and Alyssa Yoder who received AOY jackets while second place John and Heather Miller and third place Scott and Patty Smith received gift certificates from Clear H20 Tackle. Big bass of the year, 4.23 pounds from Lake Webster, was split between the Lisenko's and Parr's who both received Beef'O'Brady's gift certificates. The smallest bag of the year was won by Jim and Merle Hobbs for a 1.10-pound bass caught at Lake Webster. The couple went home with an Electric Fish Caller. 
Tanner Hursh and Hailey Dodd - 1st Place
Scott and Patty Smith - 2nd Place
Loren and Carrie Crosbie - 3rd Place
Scott and LeeAnn Sizemore - 4th Place
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Four Flags Report Jeff Bostic and Dan Posey battled tough conditions at Lake Leelanau last weekend to win the Four Flags Championship. Bostic and Posey had similar bags both days to finish with 35.81 pounds. They said they fished Yamamoto Hula Grubs, drop-shot rights and A-rigs in 4 to 8 feet. They had the biggest bass the first day, a 4.80-pound smallmouth. Jeff Stankovich and Paul Groves used Hula Grubs and tubes in 4-6 feet to finish second with 32.75 pounds. They also had the big bass of the tournament with a 5.11-pound smallmouth. Third place went to the Ranger boys, Mike VanderReyden and Brett Gessinger, who recovered for a miserable first day to gather the tournament’s biggest bag with 19.64-pounds. They fished A-rigs, tubes and a Strike King Menace throughout the event. Four Flags plans to host a few open tournaments this fall. Check the club’s Facebook page for details. 
Jeff Bostic and Dan Posey - 1st Place
Jeff Stankovich and Paul Groves - 2nd PlaceMike VanderReyden and Brett Gessinger - 3rd Place
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LMBT Report
Ken Holder and John Gipson - 1st Place
Following the birds and baitfish led Ken Holder and John Gipson to the Little Money Bass Tournament Classic title at Gull Lake last weekend.
Holder and Gipson nearly doubled the weight of second place with their 22 pound, 9 ounce catch. They caught their fish by fishing ¼-ounce Strike King Bitsy Bug and Strike King Swim Jigs with three-inch swim bait trailers.
They also had the biggest bass of the tourney with a 5 pound, 9 ouncer.
“We couldn’t get a bite from the fish we saw on LiveScope,” says Holder. “We went five hours without a bite, but then started following the seagulls around. The smelt were popping near the surface and so we started fishing jigs near the top.“
John Federnok and Mike Haas - 2nd Place
John Federnok and Mike Haas were second by fishing wacky worms on docks. They had 12 pounds, 11 ounces.
Dan Rowell and Kent Reese - 3rd Place
Dan Rowell and Kent Reese were third with 11-14. They said they fished 12 to 20 feet with tubes, swim jigs and swimbaits.
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R&B Report
B.A.S.S Report
Bassmaster
The popularity of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN and Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series has surged over the past two years. Today, B.A.S.S. announced enhancements to both properties that it believes will inspire even more anglers to compete for the opportunity to walk across bass fishing’s biggest stage.
Beginning with the 2025 season, the Opens will evolve into an eight-event season comprised of two divisions, each featuring four tournaments. Anglers placing in the Top 50 in each division’s Angler of the Year race will advance to the newly installed Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series. This stand-alone series will feature three events, spanning from September through November, to qualify anglers for the Bassmaster Elite Series.
“This is a great step for the Opens and a giant leap for the EQs,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “While the existing format fielded well-rounded anglers who were prepared to fish against the best in the world, it also left competitors who found themselves out of the running for Elite Series qualification locked into the remainder of the nine-event season. This modification will allow an angler to commit to just four Opens (or all eight if they want additional opportunities) and then decide to move on to the all-new and separate EQ series if they qualify.”
In addition to the 100 anglers qualifying from both divisions of the Opens, all current Bassmaster Elite Series anglers will be eligible to compete in the Elite Qualifiers, as well as the second- and third-place finishers from the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance.
“From an Elite Series standpoint, the model is extremely attractive. For the guys who failed to requalify, it offers an immediate opportunity to get back to bass fishing’s biggest stage. For those Elites who failed to qualify for the Classic, it offers three more opportunities to earn a ticket to the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, as well as a place for any Elite pro looking for additional top-tier events to keep sharpening their skills in the fall,” Weldon said.
B.A.S.S. remains committed to the “win and you’re in” concept for the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic. Anglers who fish an entire Division of the Opens will receive a berth to the Classic if they win an event. The same applies to the three-event EQ series, taking the total to 11 berths, which is an increase of two berths from years past.
Also new for 2025, the number of anglers who will qualify for the Elite Series has been increased to 10 (nine qualified in each of the past two years). Co-anglers will continue to have the opportunity to fish the Opens. However, there will be no co-anglers for the EQ series. Additionally, the EQ series rules will mirror those of the Elite Series.
Entry fees for each Opens event will remain at $2,000 for the Opens pros and $475 for the co-anglers. EQ entry fees will be $3,500 per event.
The full season of the Opens will be announced in October, while the EQ series schedule will not be announced until later in the year.
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R&B Report
John Gipson and Justin Hahaj - 1st Place
John Gipson and Justin Hahaj captured the R&B Starboard Choice Marine Classic on the St. Joseph River at Benton Harbor, Mich. over the weekend.
Gipson and Hahaj caught 17.29 pounds of smallmouth to win $700. They used jigs, tubes, and 5-inch swimbaits.
The weights fell significantly after that catch as Gipson said the bite was slow and noted the water temperature was 70 degrees, well above normal for that time of year.
Ken Holder and Arron Brubaker were second ($300) with four smallmouth weighing 8.52 pounds caught on tubes.
Tom Bell and Andrew Glass - 3rd Place
Tom Bell and Andrew Glass won the $100 Bass Pro Shops Gift Card donated by Mike Czajkowski Builders for third place with two smallmouth for 6.80 pounds. They also took big bass ($100) with a 5.53 giant caught on a whopper plopper first thing in the morning.
Brian Suza and Ed Madison - 4th Place
Brian Suza and Ed Madison were fourth and also won the Czajkowski gift card for fourth place with two smallmouth that weighed.46 pounds, caught on soft plastics.