Mosley’s Long Run Earns Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Sabine River

ORANGE, Texas — A last-minute decision to run two hours to the Houston area rewarded Brock Mosley with a five-fish limit of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, which leads Day 1 of the 2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 – the official video game of B.A.S.S.

With a first-day weight of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 – the official video game of B.A.S.S. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

Familiar with the potential of the tournament’s western boundary, Mosley, who hails from Collinsville, Miss., ran the Intracoastal Waterway, crossed Galveston Bay and settled into a narrow waterway on Houston’s east side. While he was pleased with his decision, he admitted he made the commitment shortly before takeoff.

“I was one of the last boats to check out (Boat 97), so I knew all the spots around Orange would be covered up,” Mosley said. “I spent three days of practice trying to talk myself out of making that run, but this morning, I decided to go.

“Also, I knew the wind wasn’t going to blow today, but it’s supposed to blow tomorrow and I know I can’t go back tomorrow. It’s going to be 20- to 30-mph winds and there’s no way.”

Refueling near his starting spot allowed Mosley to fish uninterrupted until making the 100-plus-mile ride back to weigh-in. Targeting a mix of docks, seawalls, cypress trees, shade and current breaks, Mosley said he saw evidence of recent spawning.

“I saw a lot of fry (recently hatched bass); I don’t know if those fish were guarding fry or what they were doing, but they were biting,” he said. “I don’t know if they even get fished very often.”

Mosley caught his fish on a 1/2-ounce chartreuse/white Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a white Yamamoto Zako trailer.

“There are other ways to catch them, but that’s the way I like to catch them because I can fish so fast,” Mosley said. “I know guys like to slow down and flip, but in tough tournaments, I like to cover as much water as I can.”

Mosley said his day exceeded his expectations, both in terms of quality and quantity.

“I had no idea I was going to catch that kind of weight today,” he said. “I went over there hoping to catch 9 or 10 pounds and I got a 5 1/2-pound kicker. It took me 20 minutes to catch a limit when I got there.

“It’s a long ride and it’s hard on you; it’s a lot of wear and tear. It just paid off today.”

Fishing pressure in the Sabine River and its local tributaries was Mosley’s main motivator to even consider the Houston trip. Having competed in a previous Elite event on the Sabine in 2018, he recognized that he’d be facing a more limited scenario this year.

“After being here in ’18, there’s not as many places to get multiple bites,” he said. “Where there are, there’s a lot of boats. That was the key.

“I tried to catch all I could catch today, and then if I can catch 7 or 8 pounds tomorrow around Orange, I’ll still be in the game.”

Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., is in second place with 15-1. Focusing on a shallow backwater area, Christie said he fished a variety of shallow cover and used a wide selection of reaction and flipping baits.

Noting that he had a busy day with several keepers, Christie said he was pleasantly surprised with the caliber of fish he caught.

“I was fortunate enough the last day of practice to find two areas that had some fish in them,” Christie said. “I really didn’t think they were that big. What I thought were keepers turned into good ones.

“I had two areas; I used one of those today, went to another area, caught one and started heading back. It was really fast and furious.”

Caleb Kuphall of Mukwonago, Wis., is in third place with 13 pounds.

While he expected to be picking through high numbers of bass in hopes of finding a quality bite, Kuphall said he was thankful to find two “luck bites.”

“Out here, anything over 3 pounds, I’d consider it a luck bite,” Kuphall said. “My practice didn’t go that well; on my best day, I probably had 8 pounds. Today, I got lucky and caught two giants (approximately 4-2 and 3-11).”

Kuphall said he caught four of his keepers on an unspecified jigging presentation. He also caught one on a topwater bait.

“My two kickers were in two completely different areas,” Kuphall said. “Where I caught the first one, I had high hopes for that one. I culled out everything I caught early this morning in that area. I didn’t hit it too hard today, so I think there’s more there.”

Marc Frazier of Newnan, Ga., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-6 largemouth.

Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 336 points, followed by Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., with 331 and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 311.

Justin Hamner of Northport, Ala., leads the Rookie of the Year standings with 274 points.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at the City of Orange Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at the ramp at 3 p.m., with the Top 49 anglers advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round.

Live coverage for the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.

The tournament is being hosted by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce.

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 – the official video game of B.A.S.S.  4/8-4/11
Sabine River, Orange  TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  15-10  100
Day 1: 5   15-10
2.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK            5  15-01   99
Day 1: 5   15-01
3.  Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI            5  13-00   98
Day 1: 5   13-00
4.  Lee Livesay            Longview, TX             5  12-08   97
Day 1: 5   12-08
5.  Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA               5  12-02   96   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-02
6.  Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC            5  11-14   95
Day 1: 5   11-14
7.  KJ Queen               Catawba, NC              5  11-05   94
Day 1: 5   11-05
8.  Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY              5  10-11   93
Day 1: 5   10-11
9.  Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           5  10-09   92
Day 1: 5   10-09
9.  Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA             5  10-09   92
Day 1: 5   10-09
11. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  10-03   90
Day 1: 5   10-03
12. Kyle Welcher           Opelika, AL              5  10-02   89
Day 1: 5   10-02
13. Bob Downey             Hudson, WI               5  10-01   88
Day 1: 5   10-01
14. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            5  10-00   87
Day 1: 5   10-00
15. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA                5  09-15   86
Day 1: 5   09-15
16. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           5  09-13   85
Day 1: 5   09-13
17. Justin Atkins          Florence, AL             5  09-11   84
Day 1: 5   09-11
17. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           5  09-11   84
Day 1: 5   09-11
19. John Cox               Debary, FL               5  09-04   82
Day 1: 5   09-04
19. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA  5  09-04   82
Day 1: 5   09-04
21. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  09-03   80
Day 1: 5   09-03
22. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  09-02   79
Day 1: 5   09-02
22. Buddy Gross            Chickamauga, GA          5  09-02   79
Day 1: 5   09-02
22. Taku Ito               Chiba JAPAN              5  09-02   79
Day 1: 5   09-02
25. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK             5  09-01   76
Day 1: 5   09-01
26. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  08-12   75
Day 1: 5   08-12
27. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            5  08-10   74
Day 1: 5   08-10
27. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               5  08-10   74
Day 1: 5   08-10
29. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC          5  08-09   72
Day 1: 5   08-09
29. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              5  08-09   72
Day 1: 5   08-09
31. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA               5  08-07   70
Day 1: 5   08-07
32. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  08-03   69
Day 1: 5   08-03
32. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX         5  08-03   69
Day 1: 5   08-03
34. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL            5  08-01   67
Day 1: 5   08-01
35. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA             5  07-15   66
Day 1: 5   07-15
36. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              5  07-14   65
Day 1: 5   07-14
37. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI                5  07-13   64
Day 1: 5   07-13
38. Wes Logan              Springville, AL          5  07-12   63
Day 1: 5   07-12
39. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC            5  07-11   62
Day 1: 5   07-11
40. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 5  07-10   61
Day 1: 5   07-10
41. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC             5  07-09   60
Day 1: 5   07-09
42. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              5  07-09   59
Day 1: 5   07-09
43. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC               5  07-08   58
Day 1: 5   07-08
44. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID             5  07-07   57
Day 1: 5   07-07
45. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          5  07-05   56
Day 1: 5   07-05
46. Drew Benton            Blakely, GA              5  07-04   55
Day 1: 5   07-04
46. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL            5  07-04   55
Day 1: 5   07-04
48. Joshua Stracner        Vandiver, AL             5  07-03   53
Day 1: 5   07-03
49. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  07-02   52
Day 1: 5   07-02
50. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           5  07-01   51
Day 1: 5   07-01
51. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ            5  06-14   50
Day 1: 5   06-14
52. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               5  06-13   49
Day 1: 5   06-13
52. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN             5  06-13   49
Day 1: 5   06-13
54. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL         5  06-11   47
Day 1: 5   06-11
55. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA         5  06-10   46
Day 1: 5   06-10
56. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               5  06-09   45
Day 1: 5   06-09
57. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  06-08   44
Day 1: 5   06-08
58. Darold Gleason         Many, LA                 4  06-07   43
Day 1: 4   06-07
59. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               5  06-06   42
Day 1: 5   06-06
60. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA              5  06-05   41
Day 1: 5   06-05
61. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           5  06-04   40
Day 1: 5   06-04
62. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA     3  06-04   39
Day 1: 3   06-04
63. Destin DeMarion        Grove City, PA           5  06-02   38
Day 1: 5   06-02
63. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY               5  06-02   38
Day 1: 5   06-02
65. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  06-00   36
Day 1: 5   06-00
66. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               5  05-14   35
Day 1: 5   05-14
67. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  05-12   34
Day 1: 5   05-12
68. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         4  05-11   33
Day 1: 4   05-11
69. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA             2  05-10   32
Day 1: 2   05-10
70. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  05-09   31
Day 1: 5   05-09
71. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           5  05-06   30
Day 1: 5   05-06
72. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          3  05-04   29
Day 1: 3   05-04
73. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC              5  05-01   28
Day 1: 5   05-01
74. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             5  05-00   27
Day 1: 5   05-00
75. Derek Hudnall          Denham Springs, LA       4  05-00   26
Day 1: 4   05-00
76. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           3  04-11   25
Day 1: 3   04-11
77. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           5  04-10   24
Day 1: 5   04-10
78. Bryan New              Belmont, NC              4  04-10   23
Day 1: 4   04-10
79. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA  3  04-10   22
Day 1: 3   04-10
80. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN         4  04-05   21
Day 1: 4   04-05
81. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN           3  04-04   20
Day 1: 3   04-04
82. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  04-02   19
Day 1: 5   04-02
83. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            3  03-09   18
Day 1: 3   03-09
84. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           3  03-08   17
Day 1: 3   03-08
85. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              3  03-04   16
Day 1: 3   03-04
86. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            3  03-03   15
Day 1: 3   03-03
87. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               3  03-00   14
Day 1: 3   03-00
88. Rob Digh               Denver, NC               2  02-15   13
Day 1: 2   02-15
89. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               1  02-10   12
Day 1: 1   02-10
90. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               2  02-07   11
Day 1: 2   02-07
91. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO         1  01-11   10
Day 1: 1   01-11
92. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          1  01-09    9
Day 1: 1   01-09
93. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR            1  01-05    8
Day 1: 1   01-05
93. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL            1  01-05    8
Day 1: 1   01-05
95. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD                1  01-02    6
Day 1: 1   01-02
95. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR         1  01-02    6
Day 1: 1   01-02
97. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI               1  01-01    4
Day 1: 1   01-01
98. Kenta Kimura           Osaka JAPAN              1  01-00    3
Day 1: 1   01-00
99. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
———————————————————————–

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Marc Frazier             Newnan, GA          06-06      $1,000.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        71       420       679-12
———————————-
71       420       679-12

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