Lebanon’s Boggs Claims First at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Old Hickory Lake

Indiana’s Oxford Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

GALLATIN, Tenn. – Boater Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tennessee, caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Old Hickory Lake Presented by Lithium Pros. The tournament, hosted by Sumner County Tourism, was the fourth event for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Music City Division. Boggs earned $5,315 for his victory.

“I concentrated my efforts on the upper end of Old Hickory and targeted grass, wood and docks – basically anything that offered shade during the sunny day,” Boggs said.

Boggs said he flipped a tube in 1 to 3 feet of water to boat 15 bass, including 12 keepers during the course of the tournament.

“Each win is always a surprise,” said Boggs, who now has nine Phoenix Bass Fishing League wins. “I’m very grateful to God and very humbled by the win. I’ve set a goal to get 10 BFL wins, and I’m fired up to do it.”

The Top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 17-1, $5,315
2nd:        Dylan Wright, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 16-3, $2,157
3rd:        Tim Messer, Hendersonville, Tenn., five bass, 14-12, $1,939 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th:         Mike Todd, Summertown, Tenn., five bass, 14-9, $1,007
5th:         James Crague, Hendersonville, Tenn., five bass, 14-1, $863
6th:         William Merrick, Mount Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 13-14, $1,291
7th:         Corey Steakley, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 13-11, $719
8th:         Ben Ballou, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 13-10, $647
9th:         Christopher Noel Jr., Hendersonville, Tenn., five bass, 13-9, $575
10th:      Daniel Johnson, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 13-8, $503

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Justin Saling of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, caught a largemouth weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce, the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division, to earn the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $610.

Marty Oxford of Dale, Indiana, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,157 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces.

The Top 10 Strike King co-anglers were: 

1st:          Marty Oxford, Dale, Ind., five bass, 16-6, $2,157
2nd:        Jeremy Nash, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 9-9, $1,079
3rd:        Rocky Williams, Portland, Tenn., four bass, 9-0, $1,017
4th:         Shane Overly, Brentwood, Tenn., four bass, 8-15, $503
5th:         Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., three bass, 8-11, $431
6th:         Daniel McLaughlin, Hermitage, Tenn., five bass, 8-10, $396
7th:         Arturo Mariscal, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 8-9, $324
7th:         David Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 8-9, $324
7th:         Jackson Viall, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 8-9, $324
10th:      Bill Kissinger, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 8-8, $252

Theron Hawkes of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $305.

After four events, William Merrick of Juliet, Tennessee, leads the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Music City Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 925 points, while Grant Frazier of Manchester, Tennessee, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 958 points.

The Top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 13-15 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The Top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. 

The Top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour. 

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagramand YouTube.