Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Friday, April 24, 2026
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Michiana Singles report
Loren Crosbie caught the only limit to win the Michiana Singles season opener Sunday at Lake Wawasee.
Crosbie beat out the other nine contestants with 10.20 pounds by fishing Chatterbaits in the channels.
Bruce Carman finished a distant second with three fish that weighed 4.75 pounds. Carman used jerkbaits in the mouth of channels.
Rick Kedik only caught one, but it was the right one. His 3.5 pounder got him third place and big bass prize; He fished a jig on the main lake to catch his fish.
The next two Michiana Singles tournaments are Sunday, April 12th at Webster Lake (7 a.m.-1) and Thursday, Apr.16th on the St. Joseph River at Maggies (5:30-8:30 p.m.).
Entry fee is $60. Call Rick, 269-240-4917, for information.
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Casting Couples Report
Ten teams showed up at Lake Maxinkuckee Saturday for the Casting Couples Open, and the fish cooperated despite chilly weather.
There were 31 fish weighed in with three over 3 pounds and one 4 pounder.
Rich and Hunter Paten had five keeper bass totaling 14.65 pounds and won big bass honors with a four-pound largemouth. The Patens used jigs in the channels and on the main lake to catch their fish.
Second place went to Robert Zorich and Eric Fier with a limit weighing 12.05 pounds. They fished jerkbaits and jigs in the channels and main lake.
Rick Kedik and Jake Lisenko finished third with an 11.65-pound limit. Kedik and Lisenko used jigs and swimbaits on the main lake.
The next OPEN tournament is April 18th at Wawasee. Hours are 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. with an $80entry fee. Questions? Call Rick 269-240-4917.
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MFL Report
Chilly weather didn’t hurt the turnout or fishing in the Michiana Fishing League season opener Sunday at Palestine Lake in Indiana.
Big bags were weighed in and less than half a pound separating the top three teams.
Matt Summerlot and Hunter Summerlot squeaked out the victory with 17.68 pounds, due largely to their 6.56-pound bass that won big fish honors.
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They said they caught their fish on jerkbaits worked in the 8- to10-foot depth range.
Derek Kelly and Jordan Smith were a close second with 17.28 pounds. They fished in 25-foot depths with swimbaits.
Bob Johnson and Jamie Czarnecki weren’t far behind, taking second place with 17.20 pounds. Specific tackle and technique details weren’t provided by the team.
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The next event is scheduled for April 12th at Lake of the Woods in Bremen.
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By Louie Stout
Believe it or not, the Michiana tournament season starts this weekend.
Our Lake Drive Marine Events schedule is bulging with tournaments planned throughout the fishing season. It’s designed to help everyone, including anglers who plan recreational outings, to not get caught up in congestion at boat ramps.
And, as we have in the past, Michiana Outdoors News will post results for those events free of charge.
However, we depend upon tournament directors’ efforts to submit results and will not chase them. It draws more interest in those events. Tournament info will be posted in the order it is received.
Here’s what we need:
Results should include top three finishers correctly spelled names, winning weights and lures and/or patterns used. Submissions that only have names will be rejected.
And finally, submissions with digital photos often get better play on the site and attract the most attention.
Submissions MUST be emailed to stoutoutdoors@comcast.net. We cannot work from social media posts. Questions? Drop us an email at the same address.
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By Louie Stout
The biggest bass tournament in Michiana – the South Shore Open – is slated for Aug. 1-2 in Hammond, Ind.
Registration is now open for the tournament that guarantees a $12,000 first place prize if 40 boats enter. Last year’s event drew 47 boats. The top 6 places and big bass each day will earn cash.
Entry fee is $400 if paid before May 2 ($450 thereafter) and the tournament launches out of Hammond Marina. Fishing waters include Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan waters of Lake Michigan and several of its tributaries.
The mandatory pre-tournament meeting will be held July 31 at the Horseshoe Casino overlooking Lake Michigan from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., CST. The starting order will be drawn at that time and at least one team member must attend. It will be followed by a meet-and-greet hospitality room where food and beverages will be available from 5:30-7 p.m. Special parking will be arranged for vehicles with trailers.
During tournament hours, all boats must be in the take-off area by 5:20 CST. The weigh-in will begin at 2 p.m. each day.