Graham Wins on Dale Hollow
Helton scores co-angler title in Mountain Division event
Brett Graham of Cold Spring, Kentucky, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 18 pounds, 11 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Mountain division opener at Dale Hollow Reservoir in Byrdstown, Tennessee. For his victory, Graham earned a total of $6,000.
“I caught most of my fish mid-lake, dragging a homemade green-pumpkin jig with a craw trailer out deep,” says Graham, who earned his third career victory in BFL competition. “The key was really slowing down and working the areas. I only caught five keeper fish all day, but I had confidence in the areas and I really had to milk them for all they were worth.
“I was stuck on four fish right up until the very end of the day,” Graham continues. “I fished a spot that I hadn’t been to at all and ended up catching my last keeper with about 20 minutes left to check in.
“The last year has been pretty tough, but it feels good to get back in the groove and remember what I can do and put together a good tournament.”
The top 10 boaters:
1st: Brett Graham of Cold Spring, Ky., five bass, 18-11, $6,000
2nd: Adam Militana of Saluda, N.C., five bass, 17-10, $3,000
3rd: Shane Sloan of Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 16-13, $2,000
4th: Kendall Robinson of Lexington, Ky., five bass, 16-12, $1,400
5th: J.R. Stalcup of Albany, Ky., five bass, 16-10, $1,150
5th: Jimmy Gayhart of Sadieville, Ky., five bass, 16-10, $1,150
7th: Ben Stacy of Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 16-8, $1,000
8th: Christian Nickles of Clintwood, Va., five bass, 16-5, $1,400
9th: Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 16-1, $1,000
10th: Dathan Jones of Harrodsburg, Ky, five bass, 15-12, $700
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Brent Butler of Vonore, Tennessee earned the day’s $1,000 Boater Big Bass award with his largest fish, a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.
Nickles took home an extra $500 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Tracy Helton of London, Kentucky, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces. Helton earned $3,000 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers:
1st: Tracy Helton of London, Ky., five bass, 17-15, $3,000
1st: Patrick Crawley of Burkesville, Ky., five bass, 15-14, $1,500
3rd: Randy Wilson of Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 15-9, $1,150
4th: Scottie Cook of Hustonville, Ky., five bass, 14-14, $700
5th: Brandin Carey of Harrodsburg, Ky., five bass, 13-15, $600
6th: Doug Dewar of Burlington, Ky., four bass, 13-1, $550
7th: Brandon Lake of Berea, Ky., five bass, 12-11, $500
8th: Robert Pillow of Campbellsville, Ky., five bass, 12-4, $450
9th: Garry Collins of Russell Springs, Ky., four bass, 12-1, $400
10th: Luke Smith of Florence, Ky., four bass, 11-15, $350
Jared Rudd of Salyersville, Kentucky, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $500.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Reservoir was hosted by Star Point Resort. The tournament was the first of five events in Mountain Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Mountain Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.