Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Friday, October 10, 2025
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MLF Report
After a week that saw Tennessee pro Ott DeFoe near the top of SCORETRACKER® leaderboard every day he was on the water, the Tennessee pro finally shot to the top when it mattered most, taking down the Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Athletic Brewing Company Championship Round for his fourth Bass Pro Tour regular-season win and fifth BPT win overall.
With a dominant final-day performance, DeFoe stacked up 32 bass for 78 pounds, 11 ounces to beat his closest pursuer in Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Michigan by nearly 27 pounds. Nelson finished as the runner-up, his best finish on the Bass Pro Tour since joining the ranks last season.
DeFoe is one of the winningest anglers in Bass Pro Tour history, behind only Jacob Wheeler and Dustin Connell, but this marks his first individual win since Heavy Hitters in 2022. It's his the first regular season win since 2021 on Florida's Harris Chain of Lakes. He did it in typical DeFoe fashion, too, escaping the bulk of the 66-angler field and fishing far up a creek in the Potomac River backwaters.
Link to Hi-Res Photo of Zenni Stage 6 at the Potomac River Winner Ott DeFoe
Link to Afternoon Photo Gallery: DeFoe sets the pace as drama builds on the Potomac River during Stage 6 Championship Round
Link to Evening Photo Gallery: Ott DeFoe earns milestone 10th career win at Bass Pro Tour Stage 6 on the Potomac River
Link to HD Video of Highlights from Day 4 Championship Round Competition
Kicking off the event, DeFoe found himself in second place behind pro Keith Poche after catching 70-2 during the first day of qualifying, most of it early in the day in what would end being his winning area, the extreme backwaters of Neabsco Creek.
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SMAC Report
If you fish a derby at Klinger Lake, 10 pounds will usually get you the win or at least in the top three.
Gary Butcher and Scott Smith blew that theory out of the water Saturday in the Southwest Michigan Anglers Club tournament on the popular southern Michigan lake.
Butcher and Smith weighed in a limit of 16.93 pounds – the biggest sack weighed in a tournament at Klinger in recent years. And get this – Butcher said they should have had more than 20 pounds had they landed everything they hooked.
They caught most of their fish on Butcher Baits stick worms and some on topwaters in 3 to 6 feet of water. They also had the biggest bass, a 4.50-pound largemouth.
Second place went to Paul Grove and Scott Kulp with a 9.70-pound limit. They fished jigs in 7 to 20 feet.
Jordan Smith and Joel Lasoski were third with 9.15 pounds. They fished tube jigs and crankbaits in 10 to 12 feet.
There were 11 limits caught that weighed 100.47 pounds. The bags included five smallmouth.
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Arjay’s Report
John Miller and Ashley Gibson picked up another victory, winning the Arjay’s Wednesday night league at Klinger Lake.
It was another tough night at Klinger as only 6 limits were weighed in by the 20 teams.
Miller and Gibson won with one of those limits that weighed 9.82 pounds. They said they fished jigs on weedlines.
Justin and Hunter Kosmerick were second with an 8.86-pound limit. They said they fished wacky rigs and tubes on breaks. They also won the junk fish pot with a 2.94-pound pike.
Third place was taken by Timothy Eicher and Jeremiah Yoder with five bass weighing 8.50 pounds. They fished tube jigs on flats.
Tim and Daisy Tucker also had a limit for fourth place. Their fish weighed 7.82 pounds caught by fishing jigs on breaklines.
Fifth went Derek Lynd and Rym Soruloy with a 7.60-pound limit. They caught their fish drop shotting in 10-20 feet.
Jordan Smith and Joel Thomas Laskowski won the ClearH2O Tackle first out of the money with 5 fish for 7.50 pounds. The Michiana Outdoors News tackle pack for seventh was won by Steve Martin and Josh Roberts who had 6.72 pounds in four fish.
The Tackle Shack LLC big bass goes prize was won by Braxton Bellew with a 2.46-pound smallmouth.
The $50 Tackle Shack gift cards were won by Tim Tucker and Ashley Gibson and the Str8-Up Mounts lucky dog pot was won by to Heath and George N Jody Musall.
The group will do a make-up tournament July 2nd at Diamond Lake. It will be ClearH2O Tackle night with drinks and chips provided by ClearH2O and sides pot winners will receive $50 ClearH2O gifts cards.
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SMAC Report
Storms rolled into southwest Michigan Tuesday evening but the skies cleared just in time for the start of the Southwest Michigan Anglers Club (SMAC) weeknight event on Juno Lake.
Dan Baerwald and Kyle Leamer won with a 10.87-pound limit. They fished frogs shallow and drop-shots out to 12 feet of water.
Derek Kelly and Jordan Smith were second with 9.53 pounds, caught by fishing wacky worms in 2 to 5 feet.
Terry Smith and Scott Crocker were third with 9.53 pounds. Crocker said they fished glide baits and Zoom finesse worms shallow.
Chuck Powell and Louie Stout had the big bass of the event, a 3.35-pound largemouth caught over weeds with a surface popper.
Only eight boats competed due to the weather forecast yet 33 largemouths were weighed in for a total of 63.47 pounds.
SMAC returns to action Saturday at Klinger Lake.
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Casting Couples Report
Paw Paw Lake can be an awesome fishery, but it was tough in the wind and heat last weekend for the Casting Couples crew.
Newcomers and recent newlyweds Kyle and Katie Lamb won with 12.70 pounds. The Lambs fished shallow all day using wacky worms to earn $310 to help pay for their honeymoon.
Jim and Merle Hobbs had a limit of five bass totaling 12.16 pounds to earn $175 for second. They also took home $65 for having the biggest bass with a 4.18-pound largemouth. They said they fished shallow with jigs.
The father/daughter team of Skyler and Zoey Slay weighed in a limit of totaling 10.78 pounds for third ($100). They fished wacky worms in shallow water.
Fourth place went to Brian and Sandy Souza with 10.34 pounds, all caught shallow.
The second biggest bass prize of Butchers Baits Tackle Packs was won by Jake and Melissa Lisenko with a 3.42 pound largemouth.
The next Casting Couples event is Muskegon Lake July 19th,There is a $60-entry plus a $40-membership which goes towards your classic entry fee. For more info, visit MichianaCastingCouples on Facebook or call Rick (269)240-4917.