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Brandon Gray of Bullock, N.C. — a member of the Anglers Choice team trail — wins the bracket round of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship on DeGray Lake out of Bismarck, Ark., with 20 pounds, 3 ounces Saturday, earning the final berth in the 2015 GEICO Bassmaster Classic. Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

BISMARCK, Ark. — In celebration of the Yuletide season, Brandon Gray received a couple of early Christmas presents for being a good angler at DeGray Lake.

By winning the bracket portion of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship, Gray earned the final 2015 Bassmaster Classic berth and accepted another gift of a Skeeter FX20/Yamaha 250 outboard rig for him to run in the Classic Feb. 20-22 at Lake Hartwell in South Carolina. The Bullock, N.C., angler caught five-fish limits both days during the individual fish-off and finished with 20 pounds, 3 ounces.

“It’s been a long hard road for me,” said the 42-year-old Gray. The occupational hearing conservationist (he conducts OSHA standard hearing tests for companies) disclosed he has come close to making the Classic three times through the Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship.

“The last three years I have fished it, I finished second at Dardanelle and lost by 2 pounds, then lost by 2 pounds at Guntersville the year before and lost by about 3 pounds at Old Hickory last year,” Gray said.

Gray had doubts about even coming to this team championship. “It was a long drive, and we had a successful year back home (fishing with Todd Massey in the Anglers Choice team trail),” Gray said.

However, he thought there might be something special about the site of the championship so they made the long trip. “We both have the same last names — DeGray Lake and Brandon Gray,” he said.

After finding scant information about DeGray on the Internet, Gray decided to try some techniques on lakes close to home that he hoped to duplicate at the championship. “So I was doing as much homework at home so when I got here, I would be prepared,” he said.

Gray thought spooning would be the best way to catch DeGray bass, but he changed his mind when the tactic produced only a couple of keepers in practice. “It’s all about making the right decisions, and I felt like I made the right decisions here,” said Gray, who decided to throw Norman DD22 crankbaits to catch his fish the last two days.

The deep-diving crankbaits produced three keepers for him today, but the calm weather prompted him to make a switch. He completed his limit by catching two keepers on a 1/8-ounce shaky head jig tipped with a black Zoom Trick Worm.

Arizona guide Jon “Scooter” Griffith retained second place today by catching three keepers to give him a two-day total of 12-12. The 41-year-old Griffith said he knew today was going to be tough since he had trouble catching any fish early. “I have had some pretty good days out here but this day I just couldn’t find the hybrids I was catching before and the baitfish just weren’t around,” Griffith said. “I ended up catching all of my fish out of one tree.” He caught most of his fish both days on a 1/2-ounce jigging spoon and drop shotted a Senko for a few of his keepers.

Arkansas angler Royce Davis landed in third place with 9-4. “It has been tough all week long for me,” he said. “I just went fishing the last two days just dragging (a 1/4-ounce wobble-head jig with a Speed Craw) and throwing a jerkbait,” he said. “I had four bites today, and I caught three of them.”

Rounding out the six final spots in the event were Arizona angler John Stewart Jr., who finished fourth with 5-13; Flannagan Fife of Arkansas, fifth, 3-0; and Todd Massey of North Carolina, sixth, 2-6.

The DeGray Lake Resort State Park hosted the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship. Launches and weigh-ins for the three competition days were held at Caddo Bend in DeGray Lake Resort State Park, Bismarck, Ark.

2014 Bassmaster Team Championship Title Sponsor: Toyota Bonus Bucks

2014 Bassmaster Team Championship Official Sponsors: Mercury, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2014 Bassmaster Team Championship Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 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, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series presented by Carhartt, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.

Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish Off

12/12/2014 – 12/13/2014

Degray Lake — Degray Lake Resort — Bismarck, AR

STANDINGS BOATER DAY 2

Today’s Activity

Name Fish Live Lbs-Oz Fish Live Lbs-Oz

1. Brandon Gray -Anglers Choice 5 5 9-11 10 10 20-3

2. Jon Griffith -Total Bass Addict 3 3 4-7 7 7 12-12

3. Royce Davis -Fishers of Men 2 2 5-0 4 4 9-4

4. John Stewart Jr -Total Bass Addict 4 4 5-13 4 4 5-13

5. Flannagan Fife -Fishers of Men 0 0 0-0 1 1 3-0

6. Todd Massey -Anglers Choice 0 0 0-0 2 2 2-6

BISMARCK, Ark. — The second-place team in this week’s Bassmaster Team Championship on DeGray Lake, Arkansas, has been disqualified, Jon Stewart, tournament director for the event, announced today.

Stewart said the team of Brandon Gladish and Aaric Correll of Indiana was disqualified for violating Rule C7, which covers tackle and equipment.

The rule states, “Any umbrella-type rigging, harness, or other device designed to hold more than one lure at a time — with or without hooks — is not allowed. Such rigging, harness, or device cannot be added to a single lure as described above. Traditional twin arm spinnerbaits or buzzbaits are allowed. Trailer hooks and plastic trailers must be on the main hook of the bait; only spinner blades can be affixed to the arms. The head on the main stem may be hinged. On these spinnerbaits or buzzbaits, no more than two wires, with a maximum length of 6 inches, may extend off the main arm or body of the lure. The ‘head and hook’ portion of the lure must trail behind the blade or blades. B.A.S.S. officials have the sole authority to determine whether a lure is considered a single lure as defined above.”

The team of Brandon Gray and Todd Massey of North Carolina moved into second place, and the fourth-place team of Jon Griffith and John Stewart Jr. of Arizona moved to third.

Members of the Top 3 teams — including champions Flannagan Fife and Royce Davis of Arkansas — are competing individually today and Saturday on DeGray. The top angler after Saturday’s weigh-in will earn the right to compete in the 2015 GEICO Bassmaster Classic.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 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, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series presented by Carhartt, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.