Garner Wins Bass Fishing League Tournament on Table Rock

KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (April 4, 2022) – Boater Justin Garner of Highlandville, Missouri, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament on Table Rock Lake . The tournament was the season-opener for the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division. Garner earned $13,000, which included the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

“I started out in pre-spawn areas where I know bass like to stage,” Garner said. “I pulled into my second spot and there were shad everywhere, and it was just game on.”

Garner said a Picasso Umbrella Rig with Keitech Swimbaits fished in spots from the Joe Bald area to the Table Rock Dam accounted for most of his bass Saturday.

“This win is awesome,” Garner said. “This Phoenix boat and Major League Fishing makes a good combination and a good payday.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

                1st:        Justin Garner, Highlandville, Mo., five bass, 21-13, $13,000 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
                2nd:       Landon Edwards, Springdale, Ark., five bass, 21-2, $3,000
                3rd:       Shawn Kowal, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 20-3, $2,000
                4th:        Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 20-2, $1,400
                5th:        Dustin Blevins, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 17-14, $1,400
                6th:        Wesley Rogers, Thayer, Mo., five bass, 17-13, $1,100
                7th:        Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 17-11, $1,000
                8th:        Tom Statler, Kimberling City, Mo., five bass, 16-14, $900
                9th:        Chris Horton, Highlandville, Mo., five bass, 16-12, $800
                10th:     Cade Alsbury, Gentry, Ark., five bass, 16-7, $700


Thomas Rallo of Eldon, Missouri, had a 5-pound, 12-ounce largemouth that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000. Sam Poulos of Kirbyville, Missouri, won the Co-angler Division and $3,000 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 18 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

                1st:        Sam Poulos, Kirbyville, Mo., five bass, 18-12, $3,000
                2nd:       Aaron Lorenz, Branson West, Mo., five bass, 18-8, $1,500
                3rd:       Christopher Coy, Kirksville, Mo., four bass, 15-3, $1,500
                4th:        Bryan Barnard, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 13-10, $700
                5th:        Dennis Spell, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 13-7, $600
                6th:        Josh Hood, Dupo, Ill., five bass, 12-8, $550
                7th:        Rich Carpenter, Parkville, Mo., four bass, 11-8, $500
                8th:        Luke Ahart, Ulman, Mo., five bass, 11-7, $450
                9th:        Barry Aumiller, Wildwood, Mo., five bass, 10-9, $600
                10th:     Alan Quick, Springfield, Mo., four bass, 10-5, $350

Coy caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $500.

After one event, Garner leads the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Poulos leads the Co-Angler Division AOY race, also with 250 points.