Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
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MWA Report
Heath Malone and Riley Cook - 1st Place
The Michiana Walleye Club had a tough time in their Bass Lake opener of the Don Shelton Memorial Tournament Series.
Heath Malone and Riley Cook won with two legal (14-inch) fish weighing only 1.52 pounds. They fished a jig and minnow along an 8-foot weed edge.
Kasey Conklin and Cameron Mead caught the only other legal fish to finish second.
The next tournament is April 30 at Lake of the Woods near Bremen, Ind. For more information see our Lake Drive Marine Events calendar or contact Rick Nichols, 474-993-1913.
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Amy and Steve Martin Report
Lee Duracz and John Gast 1st Place
Lee Duracz and John Gast had the most weight in the Dennis Losee Benefit bass tournament on the St. Joseph River at 6 Span Saturday, but the real winner was the Losee family.
Dennis Lossee with some of his fishing buddies!
Twenty-three teams showed up to support and provide financial aid for fellow tournament angler Dennis Losee, who suffered a stroke recently and is saddled with major medical bills.
Dennis Lossee with the plaque winners
The event raised $3,000 for the Losees through donations and drawings, plus all of the top finishing teams donated their winnings back to the family.
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R&B Report
Bobby Nelson and Jim Hippensteel - 1st Place
Bobby Nelson and Jim Hippensteel out-fished 19 other teams to win the R&B Super Tournament opener at Lake Maxinkuckee under brutal weather conditions last weekend.
The winners had 15.50 pounds that included the second biggest bass of the tournament and brought home a total of $1,000.
Mark Farver and Steve Kline were second ($530) with 15.05 pounds. They also caught the big bass ($110), which was a 6.50-pound monster largemouth.
Austin and TJ Becker were third ($300) with just over 12 pounds.
Teams can still qualify for the classic by fishing the three remaining Super Tournaments at Barbee, Paw Paw, and Lake Tippecanoe.
The next tournament is a regular season event ($70 entry fee) April 16 at Lake Wawasee. For more information, contact John Gipson Jr., 269-362-4670
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By Louie Stout
April Showers may bring May flowers, but it also brings a rush into the bass tournament season.
As tournament groups gear up for the regular season, some are planning “Opens” which usually means no membership fee and anyone can enter. These events are used as fund-raisers.
There are three events (that we know about) coming next weekend.
The Dennis Losee benefit on the St. Joe River at 6 Span - that was previously scheduled for this weekend - was moved to April 2nd. Entry fee is $65 with 50 percent of the pot going to Michiana angler Dennis Losee who suffered a stroke and needs help paying medical bills.
In addition, Clear H2o Tackle will donate an additional $25 for each boat entered and an additional $25 per any winners of side pots who donate their winnings back to the cause. Plaques will be given to the top three finishing teams.
Tournament hours are 8-2. For more information, contact Steve Martin, 269-858-6296.
If river fishing isn’t your thing, Casting Couples will be having an Open the same day at Lake Maxinkuckee. The tournament is open, meaning there are no gender restrictions on teams. Hours are 7-1 and entry fee is $50 plus $5 for big bass. You can fish alone, if you wish.
Another Casting Couples Open will be held April 16 on Lake Webster. For more information, call Rick Kedik, 269-240-4917.
If you can’t get enough tournament fishing on Saturday, the Angola Hog Hunters will have an open Sunday, April 3 on Lake Hamilton in northeastern Indiana. Hours are 7-3 and entry fee is $100. Call Kevin Days, 260-243-0266 for more info.
Hopefully, the weather will improve and the fishing is good!
For the remainder of the season, follow our Lake Drive Marine Events Calendar which lists specifics of tournaments and dates. If your event isn’t on the schedule, email us at stoutoutdoors@comcast.net.
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By Al McGuckin
Hank Cherry's Boat
Hank Cherry stood on a boat dock at Table Rock Lake watching amateur anglers idle through morning takeoff at the recent Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event and felt his tear ducts getting jumpy.
“That boat right there is the boat I won in an Oakley Big Bass event that saved my fishing career and ultimately changed my life,” reflected an emotional Cherry.
You see, before the world came to know Hank Cherry as a back-to-back Bassmaster Classic Champion, an unfortunate series of events found him unloading horse feed and fertilizer at a lawn and garden store just trying to keep the light bill paid at home.
That was 13 years ago, when a corporate buy-out landed him out of a job as a well-paid district manager in the wine and spirits industry. And then the brutal reality hit that tournament fishing was far more a detriment to his personal finances than a profit center at that time – placing he and beloved bride Jaclyn on the verge of dire economic straits.
“I was at my lowest point,” admits Cherry.
To stay afloat, Cherry sold his bass boat, quit fishing tournaments, and stopped dreaming of a pro angling career when a friend invited him to ride along in an Oakley Big Bass event on Lake Norman. And that’s when Cherry’s storied life turned toward its intended path.