Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
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IBF Report
Potato Creek Bass Club Wins IBF Zone 1 Top 8
The Mishawaka-based Potato Creek Bass Club, named the 2018 IBF Club of the Year recently, has now claimed the team championship at the Zone 1 Top 8 held on Lake Wawasee May 18-19.
Brian HensleyThe club weighed in 87.04 pounds. They were led by Darin Bongiovanni (Mishawaka) who had 17.21 pounds to finish 2nd overall. The 8-person team included Joe Howe, his father Chris, and his Grandmother Christine.
The Michiana Bass Anglers were second with 85.20 pounds and were led by Brian Hensley (Edwardsburg, MI) who had 21.15 pounds to be the overall individual winner as well as win the Ranger Cup bonus.
The weights for the top teams were close. The Indiana Bass Masters (Marion, IN) was third with 84.26 pounds, the Ye Olde Tackle Box Team (North Webster, IN) was 4th with 82.26 pounds and the Indiana Bass Club (Valparaiso, IN) was 5th with 82.14 pounds. The St Joe Valley Bass Masters of South Bend were 6th with 69.18 pounds.
There were 17 anglers with 10 fish limits. In all 523 fish were weighed in for a total of 810.64 pounds. Twelve 8-person teams from northern Indiana competed in the event, the first step toward the Forrest L Wood Cup for Indiana area amateur anglers. The top 24 qualify for the Larry P. Watson State Championship on the Ohio River at Lawrenceburg, IN August 3-4.
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LMBT Report
Crussemeyers Win LMBT Tourney at Webster Lake
Crussemeyer and Crussemeyer won the Little Money Bass Tournament (LMBT) on Lake Webster in mid-May with 12.02 pounds caught on tubes in shallow water.
The winners took home $460 and the $200†lucky boat draw!
Roher and Shreve were second ($220) with 11.04 pounds caught on tubes and worms fished in shallow and deep water. Lloyd and Lloyd were third ($210) with 10.14 pounds.
Shapland and Shapland won the big bass pot ($95) with a 4.02-pound bass and an additional $80 big bass bonus from Scott Perry at ReMax Ability Plus.
First names of anglers were not included in the LMBT report.
For more information about LMBT events call Chet Perry, 574-344-9332.
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Big Bass Challenge Report
Noe/Gipson Dominate Again at Pipestone
Tom Noe (Benton Harbor, Mich.) and John Gipson (Battle Ground, Ind.) continued their domination at Pipestone Lake.
The team caught 17.78 pounds to win the Southwest Michigan Big Bass Challenge by fishing topwater lures and jigs. Two of their fish came off beds. They won $265.
Bill Mathews (Dowagiac, Mich.) and Kris Iodice (Chicago) were second ($165) with 14.22 pounds. Their catch included a mix of bedding bass and fish on drop-offs. Wacky worms were their best presentation.
Chad Luthringer (Dowagiac, Mich.) and Greg Peters (Cassopolis, Mich.) were third ($95) with 13.61 pounds. Chad and Greg also took big bass ($80) with a 5.69 giant.
Jonathan Painter (Coloma, Mich.) and Nick Benton (Watervliet, Mich.) finished fourth ($75) with 12.85 pounds.
The next tournament is June 2 on Paw Paw Lake (channel launch) from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Entry fee is $50.
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SMAC Report
John Gipson and Tom Noe continued their reign as the team to beat during the spawning season, winning the Southwest Michigan Anglers Club (SMAC) opener at Paw Paw Lake.
The duo said they used swimbaits and Senkos to catch a limit weighing 15.82 pounds.
Second place went to Terry Smith and Scott Crocker with 12.26 pounds caught on Big Snack Jigs. Rick Kedik and Dan Linn were third with 11.85 pounds, also caught on swimbaits and Senkos.
Robert Swem and Loren Crosbie were fourth with 9.53 pounds caught on Senkos.
Jonathon Painter caught the biggest bass in the tournament, a 3.56-pound largemouth, on a jerkbait.
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R&B Report
John Gipson (Battle Ground, Ind.) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor, Mich.) First Place
John Gipson (Battle Ground, Ind.) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor, Mich.) won the R&B South Division Tournament on Lake Freeman recently.
Gipson and Noe caught 12.79 pounds by sight fishing spawning fish on the main lake and working spinnerbaits around stumps to trigger bedding bass that they couldn't see.
John and Danielle Sabatini (Galveston, Ind.) 2nd PlaceJohn and Danielle Sabatini (Galveston, Ind.) took second place with 7.29 pounds that included the Lochness Lures Big Bass prize with a 4.79-pound largemouth. The big bass came on a worm fished in 5 feet of water.