EUFAULA, Ala. (Oct. 3, 2022) – Boater John Lee of Cataula, Georgia, caught 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. The tournament, hosted by the Eufaula County Chamber of Commerce, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Bama Division. Lee earned $6,143 for his victory.
Lee said he focused his fishing between Cheneyhatchee Creek and Pataula Creek and relied on crankbaits to fill his livewell.
“We fished a medium-deep pattern, mid-lake, in 16 to 18 feet of water,” Lee said. “The bite was really strong. On Saturday I caught about 18 fish and culled a lot of really nice fish.”
What started out as a hot bite turned south for Lee on Sunday when forces of nature came into play. Lee stuck with his game plan, however.
“The wind picked up on Sunday, and it was ferocious, and I could not get a bite,” Lee added. “I got seven bites all day and culled two fish. What carried me through was the nice ones I caught Saturday.
“This is the biggest win I’ve ever had,” Lee added. “I’ve been close before but have never been able to seal the deal. This is just unbelievable and I’m elated.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: John Lee, Cataula, Ga., 10 bass, 35-4, $6,143
2nd: Mark Stillwell, Salem, Ala., 10 bass, 31-10, $2,723
3rd: Kyle Welcher, Opelika, Ala., 10 bass, 29-2, $1,816
4th: Ethan Greene, Eufaula, Ala., 10 bass, 28-1, $1,271
5th: Tucker Smith, Birmingham, Ala., 10 bass, 28-0, $1,089
6th: Mike Cavender, Phenix City, Ala., 10 bass, 27-10, $998
7th: Hunter Nanney, Dumas, Miss., 10 bass, 24-7, $1,108
8th: Nathan Ashmore, Baldwyn, Miss., 10 bass, 23-14, $1,017
9th: Jimmy Mason, Rogersville, Ala., 10 bass, 22-6, $1,826 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF5 contingency bonus)
10th: Steve Graziano, Phenix City, Ala., eight bass, 22-0, $635
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Lee also earned the Big Bass Boater award of $697 with a bass that he caught on Day 1 weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $2,723 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-15, $2,723
2nd: Rodney Thompson, Highland Home, Ala., nine bass, 23-0, $1,361
3rd: Daniel Buswell Jr., Fayetteville, Ga., nine bass, 22-7, $908
4th: Ethan Shaw, Raymond, Miss., eight bass, 16-9, $935
5th: Mark Black, Selma, Ala., five bass, 15-15, $545
6th: Robert Enke, Columbus, Ga., eight bass, 15-10, $499
7th: Daniel Corkern, Florence, Miss., seven bass, 15-8, $604
8th: Justin Nalley, Fayetteville, Ga., seven bass, 13-7, $408
9th: Justin Foster, Thomaston, Ga., seven bass, 13-2, $363
10th: Richard White, Alexander City, Ala., seven bass, 13-1, $318
Cole Bedsole of Prattville, 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 $349.