PRATTVILLE, Ala. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Boater Blake Davenport of Jemison, Alabama, caught 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament on the Alabama River in Prattville, Alabama. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Bama Division. Davenport earned $4,668 for his victory.
“I found something up the river on channel swings where the fish were up, and I caught them all on a white ¼-ounce Crusher Lures Crusher Pro Buzzbait,” Davenport said.
Davenport said the buzzbait accounted for 15 to 20 keepers Saturday and 30 to 40 keepers on the second day of competition. He said he lives 40 minutes from the river, and he felt his familiarity with the fishery gave him confidence in the tournament.
“When I culled the last time with a 3-pounder, I thought the tournament was over,” said Davenport. “I’ve worked so hard for this, and it’s finally come to fruition. What went down this weekend was nothing short of special.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., 10 bass, 26-10, $4,668
2nd: Kyle Dorsett, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 23-1, $2,334
3rd: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 22-5, $1,857
4th: Cal Burton, Dadeville, Ala., 10 bass, 21-15, $1,089
5th: Jason Nixon, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 20-13, $934
6th: Chris Payne, Vance, Ala., eight bass, 20-4, $1,356 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: David Wesson, Southside, Ala., 10 bass, 19-3, $778
8th: Jake Akin, Heflin, Ala., 10 bass, 18-3, $1,247
9th: Chad Boykin, Robertsdale, Ala., 10 bass, 17-8, $622
10th: Henry McPherson, Tuscaloosa, Ala., nine bass, 16-4, $545
Jake Akin of Heflin, Alabama, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds even that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Big Bass Boater award of $547. Justin Girdner of Wetumpka, Alabama, won the Co-angler Division and $2,270 Sunday after catching a two-day total of eight bass weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Justin Girdner, Wetumpka, Ala., eight bass, 14-15, $2,270
2nd: Chad Macks, Robertsdale, Ala., six bass, 13-12, $1,401
3rd: Michael Petras, Biloxi, Miss., seven bass, 11-3, $550
4th: Johhny Albritton, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 10-8, $530
5th: Danny Smith, Tyrone, Ga., seven bass, 10-0, $454
6th: Ethan McDonald, Livingston, Tenn., six bass, 9-0, $416
7th: Ben Caldwell, Hartselle, Ala., six bass, 8-8, $378
8th: Michael McLaurin, Chickamauga, Ga., six bass, 7-11, $341
9th: Gunter Williams, Linden, Ala., six bass, 7-7, $303
10th: Bobby Biggun, Cleveland, Ga., four bass, 7-6, $265
Chad Macks of Robertsdale, Alabama, caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $266.