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Thrift Cruises to Knockout Round Win at REDCREST 2021 Presented Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. (Feb. 25, 2021) – The fishing improved over Wednesday, but it was still not an easy day for tournament competitors Thursday on Lake Eufaula. Unless your name was Bryan Thrift. Thrift weighed in 14 bass totaling 40 pounds, 8 ounces Thursday to easily cruise to the win in the Knockout Round (Group B) on Day 4 at REDCREST 2021, the Bass Pro Tour championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. The five-day competition featured a field of 40 of the best anglers in the world from the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour competing for a top cash prize of $300,000.
Neal Catches two 3½ -Pounders in Final Six Minutes to Advance, 10 Anglers Set for Championship Friday – Final-Day Shootout for $300,000
Thrift now advances to Championship Friday, along with pros Ott DeFoe, Michael Neal, Takahiro Omori and Anthony Gagliardi.
“I’ve made it to the Championship Round of my very first REDCREST, and I am beyond excited,” Thrift said. “I feel like I’m on enough fish right now to at least have a chance. I am a little nervous – a lot of people watched me catch them this morning off of my one place, and that’s where I’ve caught most of my fish this week. So, I’m really hoping that I can still get on it tomorrow. Hopefully there are still a few there, and if they are then I think we have a chance.”
Despite four straight days of sunny skies and warmer temperatures that had many predicting the fish would be heading to the bank, Thrift has done the majority of his fishing offshore with a swimbait and a shaky-head rig.
“I know they’re headed to the bank, any time now,” Thrift said. “I went in one pocket today and seen six or seven bass cruising around – no big ones yet – but buck bass up there looking. So, I definitely think they’re coming to the bank soon, but they’re still not quite right yet. I’ll probably look again tomorrow and see what happens. I have a lot of stuff to run tomorrow. I have some stuff left that I didn’t fish today that hopefully could be good, but you never know.”
Michael Neal continued his last-minute REDCREST heroics Thursday, matching what he started earlier this week. After catching a 4-pounder with just 50 seconds left in the final period to advance from Tuesday’s Qualifying Round, Neal caught two 3½-pounders in the final six minutes Thursday to jump from sixth place to third place and advance to the final day.
“What a day. I don’t know how I keep putting myself in this position – right on the cutline, every time,” Neal said. “It’s getting kind of old. It’s fun, don’t get me wrong. But I’d like to have a strong start for once. Who knows, maybe tomorrow will be the day.
“I think I stuck with the spinnerbait a little too long today,” Neal continued. “This morning they were biting it really good, and then the sun got up and it was slick calm, I should have went to the jerkbait a lot earlier. It’s a lesson learned for tomorrow, and I’m very fortunate to make it. Everything goes back to zero, and now it’s anyone’s ballgame.”
The top five pros that made the cut and will advance to Championship Friday on Lake Eufaula are:
The post Thrift Cruises to Knockout Round Win at REDCREST 2021 Presented Lake Eufaula appeared first on Bass365.com.
Smallmouth Guru Gustafson Takes Lead At Bassmaster Elite On Tennessee River
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In his tournament experience thus far, Canadian Jeff Gustafson said he had never fished a Southern fishery where smallmouth bass act the same as they do up North.
That changed Thursday when the Canadian pro most people know simply as “Gussy” smashed a limit of mostly smallmouth weighing 17 pounds, 14 ounces, securing a Day 1 lead in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee River.
The Keewatin, Ontario, native holds a nearly 4-pound advantage over three-time Elite Series champion Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., who put 14-0 on the scales.
“I’m catching them a way that I love to fish at home,” Gustafson said. “I’m pretty excited to get back out there, and I’m 100% committed to smallmouth. I spent five hours largemouth fishing this afternoon and caught one 2-pounder and a couple shorts.”
Gustafson said he found the spot during the final day of practice. But with the 18-inch minimum size limit for smallmouth on the Tennessee River, he wasn’t sure if the area held the right quality of fish.
He learned quickly on Thursday that it did, landing a limit of smallmouth by 9:30 a.m. in an area with several other competitors close by.
“It was one of the toughest practices I’ve ever had, and I found a little something yesterday and I didn’t catch big fish like that,” he said. “I didn’t know if I could get a keeper; the 18-inch thing is tough.
“My first fish I hooked this morning was 17 7/8 inches. Then I caught another short and another short, and then the next three I got were keepers. It worked out.”
The bass Gustafson located are in about 20 feet of water, and he said what he is doing is something a little different than most of his competitors.
“What I’m doing is kind of a unique way of catching them,” he said. “It’s not easy for everyone if you’ve never done it.”
With a weather system expected to arrive Friday that could bring heavy rains for the second round, Gustafson said he isn’t sure how the smallmouth will react.
“They could be gone tomorrow, but I think if I don’t have a lot of company I should be able to catch a few more,” he said. “I think that is just where they are living right now. I’m confident and excited to go again tomorrow. I’m not calling my shot, but I’m going to do that again tomorrow.”
The rest of the field managed to catch mostly largemouth bass in shallow water.
Kennedy said he caught nearly all of his fish on a jig and was fishing painfully slow to get his bites. He added that he broke off a quality fish on a crankbait.
The nine-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier said he had success in dirty water during practice. Then when he arrived at one of his best spots Thursday, he discovered the area had cleared tremendously.
“It was loaded in practice,” Kennedy said. “I got down there this morning and did not get a bite. The water was crystal clear. They weren’t there. I had to punt and just go fishing.
“I’m grinding. It’s not like I’m on them. I only caught five keepers.”
While Kennedy caught all largemouth Thursday, he still expects smallmouth to play during the event. He isn’t sure what the weather will do to his bite on Day 2, especially with the water clarity changing every day.
“When we first got here, the main river was muddy, the pockets were clear and the very backs were muddy,” he said. “By yesterday, the very backs were clear, the midsection of the creeks were muddy and the river started to clear.
“So, I don’t know if I’m going to have any dirty water left. I’m scared to death to do this again.”
John Crews of Salem, Va., secured 13-14 of mostly largemouth to finish Day 1 in third place, 2 ounces behind Kennedy and an ounce ahead of fourth-place Brandon Card. Crews said he was using a mix of reaction baits to catch his bass, with long lulls between bites.
“It seemed like I kept catching one every 45 minutes. You had to beat them down,” Crews said. “I ended up catching four keepers by noon and a couple shorts. I changed techniques and ended up catching a keeper right away. About another 45 minutes later, I caught a big one that weighed 5-7.”
Card anchored his Day 1 bag with a 5-9 largemouth, which was the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day.
The full field will take off from Volunteer Landing at 7 a.m. ET Friday, and the Day 2 weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. After Friday, only the Top 50 will advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.
The Top 10 anglers will compete on Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.
Live coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live from the tournament beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The tournament is being hosted by the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission.
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
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee River Local Host: Visit Knoxville Sports Commission
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 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee River 2/25-2/28
Tennessee River, Knoxville TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 17-14 100
Day 1: 5 17-14
2. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 14-00 99
Day 1: 5 14-00
3. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 13-14 98
Day 1: 5 13-14
4. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 13-13 97 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-13
5. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 13-00 96
Day 1: 5 13-00
6. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 12-01 95
Day 1: 5 12-01
7. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 12-00 94
Day 1: 5 12-00
8. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 11-11 93
Day 1: 5 11-11
9. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 11-09 92
Day 1: 5 11-09
10. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 11-06 91
Day 1: 5 11-06
11. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 4 11-03 90
Day 1: 4 11-03
12. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 11-02 89
Day 1: 5 11-02
13. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 11-01 88
Day 1: 5 11-01
14. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 11-00 87
Day 1: 5 11-00
15. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 4 10-15 86
Day 1: 4 10-15
16. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 10-14 85
Day 1: 5 10-14
17. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 10-12 84
Day 1: 5 10-12
18. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 10-07 83
Day 1: 5 10-07
19. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 4 10-03 82
Day 1: 4 10-03
20. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 10-01 81
Day 1: 5 10-01
21. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 09-15 80
Day 1: 5 09-15
22. John Cox Debary, FL 5 09-14 79
Day 1: 5 09-14
22. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 09-14 79
Day 1: 5 09-14
24. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 09-13 77
Day 1: 5 09-13
25. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 09-10 76
Day 1: 5 09-10
26. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 4 09-10 75
Day 1: 4 09-10
27. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 09-04 74
Day 1: 5 09-04
28. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 09-03 73
Day 1: 5 09-03
29. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 4 09-03 72
Day 1: 4 09-03
30. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 09-00 71
Day 1: 5 09-00
31. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 08-15 70
Day 1: 5 08-15
32. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 4 08-13 69
Day 1: 4 08-13
33. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 4 08-11 68
Day 1: 4 08-11
34. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 4 08-08 67
Day 1: 4 08-08
35. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 08-03 66
Day 1: 5 08-03
36. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 3 08-02 65
Day 1: 3 08-02
37. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 08-01 64
Day 1: 5 08-01
38. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 3 07-11 63
Day 1: 3 07-11
39. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 4 07-09 62
Day 1: 4 07-09
40. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 4 07-03 61
Day 1: 4 07-03
41. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 07-02 60
Day 1: 5 07-02
42. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 4 07-01 59
Day 1: 4 07-01
43. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 4 06-14 58
Day 1: 4 06-14
44. David Fritts Lexington, NC 4 06-10 57
Day 1: 4 06-10
45. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 3 05-11 56
Day 1: 3 05-11
46. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 3 05-10 55
Day 1: 3 05-10
46. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 3 05-10 55
Day 1: 3 05-10
48. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 2 05-10 53
Day 1: 2 05-10
49. Seth Feider New Market, MN 3 05-09 52
Day 1: 3 05-09
50. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 3 05-07 51
Day 1: 3 05-07
51. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 3 05-00 50
Day 1: 3 05-00
52. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 3 04-15 49
Day 1: 3 04-15
53. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 2 04-15 48
Day 1: 2 04-15
54. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 3 04-13 47
Day 1: 3 04-13
55. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 3 04-11 46
Day 1: 3 04-11
56. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 1 04-11 45
Day 1: 1 04-11
57. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 2 04-10 44
Day 1: 2 04-10
58. Wes Logan Springville, AL 3 04-08 43
Day 1: 3 04-08
59. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 2 04-08 42
Day 1: 2 04-08
59. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 2 04-08 42
Day 1: 2 04-08
61. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 3 04-07 40
Day 1: 3 04-07
62. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 2 04-06 39
Day 1: 2 04-06
63. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 3 04-05 38
Day 1: 3 04-05
63. Darold Gleason Many, LA 3 04-05 38
Day 1: 3 04-05
65. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 3 04-03 36
Day 1: 3 04-03
66. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 2 04-01 35
Day 1: 2 04-01
67. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 2 04-00 34
Day 1: 2 04-00
67. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 2 04-00 34
Day 1: 2 04-00
67. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 2 04-00 34
Day 1: 2 04-00
70. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 2 03-12 31
Day 1: 2 03-12
71. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 1 03-10 30
Day 1: 1 03-10
72. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 2 03-07 29
Day 1: 2 03-07
72. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 2 03-07 29
Day 1: 2 03-07
72. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 2 03-07 29
Day 1: 2 03-07
75. Rob Digh Denver, NC 2 03-03 26
Day 1: 2 03-03
75. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 2 03-03 26
Day 1: 2 03-03
77. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 1 03-03 24
Day 1: 1 03-03
78. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 1 03-00 23
Day 1: 1 03-00
79. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 2 02-15 22
Day 1: 2 02-15
79. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 2 02-15 22
Day 1: 2 02-15
79. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 2 02-15 22
Day 1: 2 02-15
82. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 1 02-13 19
Day 1: 1 02-13
83. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 1 02-11 18
Day 1: 1 02-11
84. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 1 02-02 17
Day 1: 1 02-02
85. Bryan New Belmont, NC 1 02-01 16
Day 1: 1 02-01
86. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 1 01-13 15
Day 1: 1 01-13
86. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 1 01-13 15
Day 1: 1 01-13
86. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 1 01-13 15
Day 1: 1 01-13
89. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 1 01-12 12
Day 1: 1 01-12
89. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 1 01-12 12
Day 1: 1 01-12
89. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 1 01-12 12
Day 1: 1 01-12
92. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 1 01-10 9
Day 1: 1 01-10
93. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 1 01-09 8
Day 1: 1 01-09
93. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 1 01-09 8
Day 1: 1 01-09
95. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 05-09 $1,000.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 29 300 626-05
———————————-
29 300 626-05
The post Smallmouth Guru Gustafson Takes Lead At Bassmaster Elite On Tennessee River appeared first on Bass365.com.
Taming Tough Tournaments with Matt Arey
Ask any Bassmaster Elite Series pro after official practice concluded and they wouldn’t hesitate to tell you the buzzword for the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at the Tennessee River was, “tough”. Practice reports were filled with concerns of cold, muddy water and few keepers to be found.
Judging by the unofficial weights on BASSTRAK just a few hours into Thursday’s competition, it’s safe to say the Tennessee River is already fishing better than expected. But anglers weren’t sandbagging. Matt Arey has proven to be honest as he is consistent and confirmed conditions set this event up to be among the toughest of the year.
Arey is no stranger to performing well in tough derbies. The Team Toyota pro has a pair of Tour level wins on Beaver Lake to his record, a notoriously stingy fishery by any seasoned angler’s definition, and has earned a paycheck in a myriad of others. We caught up with Arey Wednesday evening to pick his brain on his process for approaching tough tournaments.
Stay in it mentally
When you expect only a handful of keeper bites throughout an entire day of fishing, the number one advantage anglers can give themselves is to stay positive and mentally engaged, according to Arey.
“You have to fish your last five minutes like the first five minutes in a tough tournament,” Arey said. “We’ve heard Swindle talk about the benefits of a Positive Mental Attitude for years and it’s absolutely true. Prep for a grind mentality and don’t get caught up in worrying too much. Put your head down and go fishing.”
Staying comfortable on the water is one way Arey ensures he stays mentally engaged, especially when dealing with wet or cold weather. Arey said his Aftco Hydronaut rain suit has been worth its weight in gold this week in Tennessee.
Lean on confidence lures
“When individual bites are hard to come by, I pick a couple lures I have confidence in and keep them in my hands,” Arey admitted. “Until something with the weather or water conditions change, you aren’t doing yourself any good switching through 30 presentations in my opinion. I’ll be chunking a flat sided crankbait and flipping jig 90% of the time this week.”
The Lunkerhunt pro has learned the hard way it’s easy to spin yourself out during difficult events and believes keeping it simple with lure selection helps with his first tip; staying mentally focused.
Don’t be afraid to change on the fly
Arey’s final piece of advice when the bite is brutal is to not get locked in to what you saw or didn’t see, in the days leading up to the tournament… especially in the spring of the year.
“Things change so fast this time of year and you have to be willing to change with them,” Arey explained. “One or two warm days can completely change the fish in the springtime. Keep an open mind and listen to the clues Mother Nature and the fish are giving you and you never know what can happen.”
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KVD REDCREST: It Still Stings
If you have any doubts as to whether Kevin VanDam’s competitive fire still burns hot at age 53, I wish you could have read my text messages last night.
At 9:30 p.m. Wednesday came a message from Kevin thanking me for all the media work I did with him this week at REDCREST, followed by a comma and “wish I could have got it done today. Still stings.”
Five hours after his week on Lake Eufaula was officially over — it was classic KVD – class, appreciation, and a relentless competitor’s heart.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and some days things just don’t go your way. I missed four fish that would have counted today. I didn’t get mad. I didn’t throw a fit. I truly believed I could get it done. I had my chances right to the end, but I just didn’t connect,” he lamented.
Fueled by wife Sherry’s lucky cookies, VanDam made thousands of casts at REDCREST with a Strike King Thunder Cricket – specifically a 3/8-ounce white one – with a matching white Strike King Menace trailer. It was for sure his best bait of the week.
His best day of the week was the first one when he totaled 20-pounds. “I made a location change early in the day on Monday and got a couple good bites right away. That started the ball rolling to that good 20-pound bag,” he grinned.
But what he described as “repetitive missed opportunities” is the part of REDCREST he wishes he could do over.
“I’m a little mad and frustrated, obviously. This one stings. I’ll think about those four missed bites for a long time,” concluded VanDam.
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Birge Wins Knockout Round at REDCREST 2021, Advances to Friday’s Championship Round on Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. (Feb. 24, 2021) – Pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, weighed in eight bass totaling 25 pounds, 14 ounces Wednesday to win the Knockout Round (Group A) on Day 3 at REDCREST 2021, the Bass Pro Tour championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. The five-day competition features a field of 40 of the best anglers in the world from the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour competing for a top cash prize of $300,000.
Advancing alongside Birge to Friday’s Championship round are pros Dustin Connell, Jacob Wheeler, Mark Davis and David Dudley.
The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Days 1 (Monday) and 2 (Tuesday) of the event. The field was cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total cumulative weight. The remaining 20 anglers were split into two groups for the Knockout Round – 10 (Group A) competed on Day 3 (Wednesday) and 10 (Group B) will compete on Day 4 (Thursday). The top five anglers from each group based on total single-day weight will advance to the Championship Round, the fifth and final day of competition (Friday) where weights are zeroed and the angler that catches the highest total weight on the final day will be crowned the REDCREST 2021 champion.
Birge said that every fish that he has caught so far this week – minus the very last fish of the day today – has come on a white Omega Genesis TI spinnerbait.
“I’ve been doing pretty much the same thing all week, throwing a spinnerbait around brush,” Birge said. “Overall, today went pretty good for me. I caught more today than either of the two previous days, even though the fishing was tougher overall. I ran around and fished brush, pretty much all over the bottom quarter of the lake.
“The event is going to boil down to whether I can get enough bites,” Birge continued. “I know the fish are around, because I can see them. But it’s whether or not they will want to chew. I keep thinking that any day the fish are going to move to the bank and it’s going to off, but it just hasn’t happened yet. It could happen tomorrow, it could happen Friday, but it’s going to be soon.”
Birge has thrown the spinnerbait all week on a 7-foot, 3-inch Favorite Fishing rod with 20-pound-test Yo-Zuri T7 Premium Fluorocarbon line.
The top five pros that made the cut and will advance to Championship Friday on Lake Eufaula are:
1st: Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., eight bass, 25-14
2nd: Dustin Connell of Clanton, Ala., six bass, 17-4
3rd: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 15-2
4th: Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., three bass, 11-14
5th: David Dudley of Lynchburg, Va., four bass, 10-14
The five pros eliminated from competition Wednesday are:
6th: Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., two bass, 7-10
7th: Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., two bass, 5-12
8th: Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., one bass, 3-7
9th: Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., one bass, 3-7
10th: Fred Roumbanis of Russellville, Ark., zero bass
Full results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 31 bass weighing 101 pounds, 4 ounces caught by nine pros on Wednesday
VanDam won Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with a 5-pound, 6-ounce largemouth that he weighed in during Period 1. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $7,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The 10 anglers that will compete in the Group B Knockout Round on Thursday are:
- Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kan.
- Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tenn.
- Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.
- Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, S.C.
- Alton Jones Jr. of Waco, Texas
- Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala.
- Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn.
- Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan
- Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla.
- Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C.
REDCREST 2021 Presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage, the Bass Pro Tour championship at Lake Eufaula, is hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2020 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing in a COVID-shortened five regular-season tournaments around the country. The top 40 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the five events qualified to compete in Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2021 presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of REDCREST 2021 presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage, the Bass Pro Tour championship, will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, July 3 on the Discovery Channel. A one-hour special episode of MLF Inside the REDCREST will premiere at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, July 18 on CBS. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on REDCREST 2021, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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