Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Wednesday, October 01, 2025
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
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BASS Report
Burrill and Jack Simpson
BAY CITY, Mich. — There was a moment last weekend, as 6-foot waves tossed their bass boat around Saginaw Bay like a cork in a maelstrom, that Branden Burrill and Jack Simpson stared at one another, silently asking, “What the heck are we doing?”
The answer? They were winning the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Bass Pro Shops.
High winds prevented anglers from venturing into open water on Day 1, but the wind died down just enough on Friday to squelch the small-craft warning for the inner part of Saginaw Bay — a sprawling 1,143-square-mile bass factory in coastal northeast Michigan.
And when tournament officials said the bay was in play on the final day of the derby, nothing was going to keep Burrill and Simpson from chasing bedding smallmouth some 30 miles into the bay in hopes of a tournament title.
The 23-year-old seniors from Western Michigan University did win the final Bassmaster College Series regular-season event of 2024 with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 2 ounces. That earned the duo a $4,938 cash prize for their school’s bass program — part of a $16,400 total purse up for grabs among the Top 10 teams competing this week.
It also secured them a spot in the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops when it’s held Aug. 22-24 on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina. A total of 20 teams competing this week grabbed berths in the championship.
“It was extremely nasty out there,” Burrill said. “It took us two hours to get out (by the Charity Islands) and it was as rough a ride as I’ve ever had on the water.”
B.A.S.S. officials had to make Saginaw Bay off limits on June 5, with the chance of consistently high winds and rough seas too great a threat. That forced each of the 196 competing tandems to fish in the sheltered Saginaw River, away from the worst of the wind.
Fishing pressure there was, in a word, tough.
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Casting Couples Report
Ryan and Alyssa Yoder - 1st Place
Ryan and Alyssa Yoder outlasted 11 other couples at Lake Macatawa on a tough day for fishing in the Michiana Casting Couples Circuit event last weekend.
The Yoders had one of only two limits weighed in. They totaled 14.52 pounds, good for $285. The Yoders also had second biggest bass of the day with a 3.30-pound largemouth, earning tackle packs from Butchers Baits Custom Tackle.
The couple started off by fishing the pier head and had no luck, so they decided to fish what they knew best – topwaters in the river. They drove up the Macatawa River and never looked back as they capitalized on their river skills. They used frogs and caught several keepers, almost a 3-pound average.
Troy and Courtney Allard - 2nd Place
Troy and Courtney Allard took second place; the first time they made the money spot, with the only other limit that weighed 9.78 pounds. The Allards used Chaterbaits and swimbaits in shallow water to earn $130.
Rick and Jennifer Kedik - 3rd Place
Rick and Jennifer Kedik had four keeper bass totaling 8.04 pounds to take home $80. After Jennifer caught the first two keepers, Rick cut off his bait and put on the same color and size jig. Kedik's caught their fish along deep seawalls.
Anthony and Kim Sivits - 4th Place
Anthony and Kim Sivits had four keepers totaling 7.31 pounds to take home some Great Lakes Gear for first out of the money.
John and Heather Miller - Big Bass
Big bass honors went to John and Heather Miller with a 4.19-pound largemouth, earning them $55. They fished a tube out by the pier heads.
The next regular Casting Couples male/female tournament is Diamond lake on June 29th, 6 a.m.-noon. There’s a $60-entry, $40-membership, which goes towards your classic fee. Any questions, contact Rick @ 269-240-4917, or on facebook MichianaCastingCouples, or rkedik13@yahoo.com
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LMBT Results
John Gipson and Ken Holder - 1st Place
John Gipson and Ken Holder fished a combination of swimbaits, topwaters and Senkos to win the Little Money Bass Tournament (LMBT) Saturday on Paw Paw Lake.
The winners caught all smallmouth bass from 18 to 25 feet of water. They also had the biggest bass, a 4- pound, 5-ounce smallmouth, caught on a popping topwater over 18 feet of water.
McKenzie Hadspeth and Bradley Eaton - 2nd Place
Second place went to McKenzie Hadspeth and Bradley Eaton with 17 pounds, 10 ounces, caught on swim baits and tubes in deep water. They also had all smallmouth.
Chuck Powell and Louie Stout - 3rd Place
Chuck Powell and Louie Stout were third with 15.94 pounds. They caught their fish on drop-shots, finesse worms and Strike King Menaces in 8-12 feet of water. They had all largemouth.
The LMBT tourney is July 13 on Juno Lake. Visit the Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar on this page for more details.
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D&R Series Report
Kurt Antonowitsch and Bo Thomas - First Place
Kurt Antonowitsch and Bo Thomas kicked off the West Michigan D&R Sports Center Series season with a big win at Muskegon Lake Saturday.
The team had 17.29 pounds that included a 4.48- pound largemouth. Bo and Kurt caught all of their fish on green pumpkin Chatterbaits and swim jigs on grass flats offshore.
Richard and Douglas Simmons were second with 16.76 pounds. More details of their catch weren’t made available.
Jeff Elliott and Trevor Young finished third with 16.22 pounds. Jeff and Trevor caught all of their keepers offshore on Rapala DT 10 crankbaits and drop-shot rigs.
Jim Borden and Mike Frank - Big Bass
Big Bass of the tournament went to Jim Borden and Mike Frank with a 5.16 pounder.
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Butcher Baits Report
Kent Dowden - 1st Place
Kent Dowden won the Butcher Baits Tournament last weekend on Klinger Lake.
Dowden fished alone with Roboworms to catch 12.7 pounds.
2nd Place - Austin Smith and Kaleb Chester finished second with 11.5 pounds caught on Butchers Baits stick baits and glide baits. They also got Big Bass with a 3.10 pounder.
Gary Butcher and Scott Smith - 3rd Place
Gary Butcher and Scott Smith finished third with 9.8 pounds. They used Butchers Baits stick baits and topwater lures.
The next tournament is scheduled for June 23rd at 6 a.m. at Austin Lake. Check the Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar on this website for more information.