SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Seven months ago, when Ryan Lecompte registered to compete in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division as a co-angler in 2025, it hit him that the final day of the final event of the season would fall on his 47th birthday. He jokingly mentioned to his wife that it would be pretty cool if he could win a new boat on Lake Guntersville as a birthday present.
Friday, Lecompte made it happen. The Mississippi native blasted 22 pounds, 11 ounces – the second-biggest bag weighed from the back of the boat during the event – to take the win in the co-angler division. His three-day total of 55-1 topped Roger Crain by 1-2 and earned him a new Phoenix boat package worth $33,500.
“Best birthday ever, without a doubt,” Lecompte said.
Lecompte started Friday in ninth place, albeit only 3 pounds out of the lead. It didn’t take long before he started to realize his dream of a birthday victory could become reality.
Fishing behind Kyle Cortiana, Lecompte found a hot bite first thing in the morning on a grass flat within eyesight of takeoff. He had a limit of around 20 pounds in the livewell by 7 a.m., all on a ChatterBait.
The bladed jig, which produced all of his weight on Day 3, was the top bait for Lecompte throughout the event. But like just about every co-angler, he had to adjust based on where his boater fished.
“The first day, I fished shallow grass. I caught three fish on a ChatterBait, one fish on a jerkbait and one fish on a Neko rig,” he said. “The second day, I fished deep – about 15, 20 foot all day – and I caught all my fish on a Carolina rig. And then today, we were in shallow grass on the river, and I threw the ChatterBait all day, and it just worked out.”
After his morning flurry, Lecompte went more than 5 hours without culling. Finally, with about 45 minutes left to fish, he connected with a 6-pound kicker. His biggest fish of the day, it increased his total by about 2 pounds, and he wouldn’t have won without it.
“That pretty much sealed the deal,” he said.
Lecompte has lots of local tournament experience, but this marked his first year traveling to compete on the Toyota Series. The fact that this win not only came on his birthday but on legendary Lake Guntersville made it even more memorable.
“I’ve fished about 95 events with Major League Fishing through the BFLs over the years, and this year, I decided to jump up and try the Toyota Series,” Lecompte said. “I paid my entry fees in November, the first day that entry fees were open. I looked at the schedule – I paid up front the whole season, I had a guaranteed boater – and I told my wife, I said, ‘How nice would it be to fish Guntersville the final day on my birthday and have a chance to win a boat on my birthday?’ And it all worked out. It’s been planned since November.”
Top 10 co-anglers:
- Ryan Lecompte – 55-1 (15) – $33,500
- Roger Crain – 53-15 (15) – $5,000
- Finn Taylor – 51-10 (15) – $4,000
- James Ramsey – 49-0 (14) – $3,500
- Alex Moore – 48-3 (15) – $3,000
- Todd Mowery – 48-0 (13) – $2,575
- Dylan Quilatan – 47-15 (15) – $2,000
- Alex Roberts – 47-4 (15) – $1,750
- Larry Franks Jr. – 46-13 (15) – $1,700
- Chuck Higgins – 46-9 (15) – $1,250