Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
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Former Rolling Prairie resident Mitch Hayes has been inducted into the Indiana Bass Federation (IBF) Hall of Fame.
Doug Bradley of the Peru Bassmasters also was inducted.
Hayes, now residing in Rochester, was recognized for his dedication to bass fishing. He was an IBF member from 1982 to 2013, first with the Kankakee Valley Bass Masters and then with the Fulton County Bass Masters.
He was elected Zone 1 Director in 1986 and served until 2000, the first of three stints as zone director. He also served the organization as secretary. Hayes worked with Indiana University students to help create the first IBF website in 1995 and was the site coordinator from 2004-2010.
He was Editor for Indiana Bass News in 2012 and a tournament director for multiple Top 8's in Zone 1. He also was the tournament directory for the state finals at Wawasee.
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Casting Couples Report
Rick and Jennifer Kedik (Niles) First Place
Rick and Jennifer Kedik (Niles) had a limit of five bass, including one smallmouth, within the first two hours to win the Casting Couples opener ($270) at Pine and Stone lakes in LaPorte, Ind.
Seventeen teams completed with five limits reported and every team weighed in a keeper bass.
Native Pride swing jigThe Kediks upgraded all day long to finish with 10.32 pounds. The key to their success was using a Native Pride swing jig with a Trokar hook topped with an Erie Darter.
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R&B Circuit Report
John Gipson (Battle Creek) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor) First Place
John Gipson (Battle Creek) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor) beat out 43 teams with 12.78 pounds of smallmouth bass to win the R&B Circuit event on Lake Maxinkuckee.
The winners found the spawning fish in practice the day before and targeted them the next day. They caught over 50 fish with tubes, wacky rigs, and jerkbaits, which included the second biggest fish of the tournament - a 2.80 pounder. They won $875.
The father-and-son team of Brad and Clay Sterling had an identical plan as the winners to finish second ($450) by weighing a 12.21 pounds. They caught the bedding smallmouth bass with tubes and darters. They caught over 40 bass throughout the tournament.
Cody Bennett and Kyle Kaser (Mishawaka) weighed spawning smallmouth as well to finish third ($330). They began by targeting largemouth bass in channels, but quickly realized they were not large enough. They used drop shot rigs for the bedding fish, but also caught several key fish with jerkbaits while searching for beds.
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R&B Circuit Report
Jay Witvoet Jr. (Wheatfield, Ind.) and Dakota Wendt (DeMote, Ind.) - First Place
Jay Witvoet Jr. (Wheatfield, Ind.) and Dakota Wendt (DeMote, Ind.) won the R&B Circuit South Division tournament on Bruce Lake recently.
The winners ($248) had 11.73 pounds caught on jigs in 6 feet or less. They also won the Lochness Lures Big Bass pot with a 4.96 pounder.
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IBF Report
Kerry Frey (Middlebury) and Ryen Hochsteller (Shipshewana) - First Place
Kerry Frey (Middlebury) and Ryen Hochsteller (Shipshewana) won the Indiana Bass Federation open tournament on Sylvan Lake recently.
The winners had 13.26 pounds, including big bass of the event, a 4.24 pounder. They caught their fish from the main lake weed edges with a Chatterbait.
Lavan and Mike Raber (Wolcottville) were second with 12.51 pounds while Dave Gee (LaPaz) and Chris Howe (Mishawaka) were third with 12.39.