COUNCE, Tenn. – While the pros smashed in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division event on Pickwick Lake, things were tougher on the co-angler side. Limits were no guarantee, but big fish were present and could shake up the leaderboard. Coming out on top, Jakob LaBelle caught four for 18 pounds, 15 ounces on the final day to move up from third, and won with 11 bass for a 40-13 total. For the win, he earned a new Phoenix Boats package and qualified for the Toyota Series Championship this fall.
Finishing second, Nathan Brewer tallied 36-9 on 12 bass, and Jonathan Poole finished third with 33-8 on 13 bass.
Weighing mostly smallmouth, the Vermont co-angler appeared right at home, perhaps thanks to the teachings of his father, Bryan LaBelle, who was also in the tournament.
“It was pretty awesome, I know the effort and thought he puts into it,” Bryan said. “He has a lot of care for it, so it was pretty awesome to see. It’s rewarding when you taught him everything you know, and he actually listened to you.”
On stage, LaBelle was pretty emotional.
“The rush is like no other, that’s for sure,” he said.
On the week, LaBelle credited the Beast Coast OW Sniper Jig for a lot of his fish.
“The Sniper Jig played huge for me,” he said. “It really played big for me with the smallmouth. Big shoutout to Beast Coast, that jig plays huge for me whenever I’m around smallmouth.”
Around fish pretty much all week, LaBelle had nothing but good things to say about his experience and the pros he fished behind. On the final day, he fished with Donny Beck, who ended up second on the pro side.
“They were all great guys, every one of them,” he said. “They welcomed me to their boat with open hands; we conversated well, it was awesome.”
Now, the LaBelle boys are headed to the next Toyota Series event at Kentucky Lake, part of a wintertime trip through the South that has taken the pair from Florida to Oklahoma.
“It’s something me and dad have planned for a while,” LaBelle said. “We’ve always wanted to make a big trip and poke around here and there and see what we can do at different lakes. It’s been a little back and forth. Kissimmee was warm, but it was tough; but what a blast – practice was great. Grand as well, we practiced that for 15 days, coming out here is good experience for the future. Now we have knowledge on a lot of places we’ve never fished before. We’ve had some days where it is absolutely terrible, and some days where it looks like we might do very well. Everything we’ve learned is good experience.”
Soon, with the ice thawed in the North, they’ll turn their attention to Lake Champlain. And, thanks to his winnings this week, LaBelle plans to start shopping.
“I’m going to take a picture of that certificate and put it right on Facebook Marketplace,” he said. “I’m gonna buy a truck, hopefully I can get into something that will last, and not have to worry about any problems.”
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Jakob Labelle – 40 – 13 (11) – $33,500
2. Nathan Brewer – 36 – 9 (12) – $4,359
3. Jonathan Poole – 33 – 8 (13) – $3,487
4. Alan Hults – 31 – 9 (11) – $3,151
5. Pop Catalin – 28 – 12 (10) – $2,615
6. Keith Gunsauls – 28 – 8 (8) – $2,180
7. James Cobbs – 28 – 4 (11) – $1,744
8. Chuck Willis – 27 – 10 (9) – $1,526
9. Chris Harcrow – 27 – 3 (8) – $1,308
10. Frank Haysley – 26 – 0 (9) – $1,190