MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 25, 2023) – Boater Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, caught 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 9 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Bass Fishing League tournament on Lake Norman in Mooresville, N.C. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division. Hoyle earned $5,446 for his victory.
“This win feels pretty good,” said Hoyle. “I wasn’t really expecting it, but everything just lined up for me today.”
Hoyle said he caught his fish mid-lake on a custom-made green pumpkin and red jig and felt his key to victory was keeping the trolling motor wide open throughout the day.
Hoyle said he is planning to fish the three-day Bass Fishing League Regional at Lake Norman Oct. 19-21 and opted not to reveal further information about his success on the fishery in this event.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., 10 bass, 29-9, $5,446
2nd: Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., 10 bass, 28-6, $2,723
3rd: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., 10 bass, 26-10, $3,396 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: David Cooke, Mooresville, N.C., 10 bass, 26-7, $1,271
5th: Michael Stephens, Gastonia, N.C., 10 bass, 25-8, $1,089
6th: Dalton Eury, Oakboro, N.C., 10 bass, 25-8, $998
7th: Isaac Ledford, Dallas, N.C., 10 bass, 24-14, $908
8th: Aaron Digh, Denver, N.C., 10 bass, 24-12, $1,514
9th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., 10 bass, 23-12, $726
10th: Conrad Manuel, Pilot Mountain, N.C., nine bass, 23-4, $635
Aaron Digh of Denver, North Carolina, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 11 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Big Bass Boater award of $697. David Deciucis of Chester, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $3,272 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 23-1, $3,272
2nd: Jonathan Strickland, Graham, N.C., 10 bass, 19-0, $1,361
3rd: Samuel Dunson, Chapel Hill, N.C., nine bass, 18-15, $908
4th: Eric Tressel, Cornelius, N.C., eight bass, 18-2, $635
5th: George Hirapetian, Charlotte, N.C., nine bass, 17-14, $545
6th: Wayne Smelser, Wytheville, Va., eight bass, 16-11, $499
7th: Bobby Henderson, Charlotee, N.C., nine bass, 16-5, $654
8th: Wes House, Knightdale, N.C., nine bass, 15-13, $408
9th: Hunter Carpenter, Lincolnton, N.C., eight bass, 15-9, $363
10th: Greg Fox, Hudson, N.C., eight bass, 15-0, $318
Deciucis caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $349.
With the regular season now complete, boater Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,310 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Wes House of Knightdale, North Carolina, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler North Carolina Division AOY race with 1,337 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 5-7 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.