GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (June 13, 2022) – Boater Jeff Defew of Benton, Kentucky, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes. Defew earned $5,428 for his victory.
“We’ve got a lot of really good fishermen in this area, and a lot of people come in and fish Kentucky Lake,” Defew said. “It’s very competitive. It’s a dream to win one of these trophies. I’ve always wanted one.
“It just feels awesome,” Defew went on to say. “I own a body shop and work 50 hours a week, and I fish on weekends and after work. So, for an ordinary guy to win one of these against guys who get to fish a lot feels really good.”
Defew, who said he considers himself a “north end” fisherman on Kentucky Lake, said he focused on fishing from Kenlake Resort State Park to the dam during the event. Defew said he caught eight to 10 keepers during the course of the day. The bass fell for a Berkley Power Worm, as well as a jig and a Strike King 10XD crankbait.
“Kentucky Lake is as competitive as any other body of water out there,” Defew said. “Our lake has changed, but it’s definitely getting better. Even on its worst day it’s still a lot better than a lot of lakes you can go to.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jeff Defew, Benton, Ky., five bass, 21-10, $5,428
2nd: Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 17-4, $3,049
3rd: Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 16-0, $1,478
4th: David Seaton, Springville, Tenn., five bass, 15-13, $1,033
5th: Keith Amerson, Bethel Springs, Tenn., five bass, 15-5, $886
6th: Drew Lynch, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 15-1, $812
7th: Gary Singleton, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 14-15, $738
8th: Larry Bailey, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 14-11, $864
9th: Bobby Wade, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 14-7, $590
10th: Stu Moyer, Hardin, Ky., five bass, 14-1, $491
10th: Kasey Alexander, Dawson Springs, Ky., five bass, 14-1, $491
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Dan Morehead of Paducah, Kentucky, had a largemouth that weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $635. Jim Elmore of Independence, Ky., won the Co-angler Division and $2,314 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Jim Elmore, Independence, Ky., five bass, 15-13, $2,314
2nd: Drake Horn, Murphysboro, Ill., five bass, 14-10, $1,424
3rd: William Walsh, Bon Aqua, Tenn., five bass, 12-1, $738
4th: Ed Daniell, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 11-15, $667
5th: Jay Fields, Breese, Ill., five bass, 10-14, $443
6th: Barry Gunter, Trafalger, Ind., four bass, 10-3, $406
7th: Ronald Franks, Hermitage, Tenn., four bass, 9-14, $369
8th: Shane Ross, Pembroke, Ky., three bass, 8-15, $332
9th: Stan Evans, Newburgh, Ind., four bass, 8-11, $276
9th: Chanler Fleetwood, Vallonia, Ind., three bass, 8-11, $276
Drake Horn of Murphysboro, Illinois, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $317.
After three events, Billy Schroeder of Paducah, Kentucky, leads the Bass Fishing League LBL Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 694 points, while Ed Daniell of West Frankfort, Illinois, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 723 points.
https://dev.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/bfl-kentucky-barkley-61322.html
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