OSAGE BEACH, Mo. – With nearly 150 MLF events under his belt, Mike Mueller hadn’t pulled off a win until now.
“I’ve won other stuff, but this is definitely the highlight,” he said. “I’ve been chasing one of these a long time, and came close a few times. I’m on a good run, we’re just going to ride it as long as it goes.”
Weighing 13 fish for 35 pounds, 4 ounces, Mueller earned the win in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division event on Lake of the Ozarks. Starting out with 14-12 on the first day, he stayed in contention the rest of the event with key kicker bites, and weighed four for 9-14 on the final day. For the win, Mueller takes home a new Phoenix boats package.
Finishing second, Scott Parsons tallied 33-9 on the event, and Noah Dickneite finished third with 30-8. Finishing fourth, Alan Bernicky also wrapped up the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title on the co-angler side.
Big bites power Mueller
On Day 1, Mueller got off to a great start, and he was able to hold serve the rest of the event, dropping to second on Day 2 and then sliding back into the lead on Day 3.
“I was fishing with Jack Daniel Williams; he was ‘Scopin’ offshore, but he positioned me in a place I could make casts to laydowns and docks,” Mueller said of his Day 1 charge. “I was just throwing my jig around docks and laydowns, and that’s how I caught my early limit. Then, late in the day, I was throwing a spinnerbait down a break wall, and that’s how I caught my kicker that put me over the top.”
On the week, Mueller did damage with an 11/16-ounce Jewel jig and a 1/2-ounce, white and blue, double willow Inazuma spinnerbait. An adjustment in practice was key to the event.
“I had a jig glued in my hand this week,” Mueller said. “I saw something in practice with one of my buddies – the trailer I was throwing wasn’t getting bit, and his was. So, I went to a different trailer with bigger flappers and started getting bit. I went to a local tackle shop and bought about 20 packs, and I think I’ve gone through all of them. I made that little change in practice, and I’ve been hitting anything I could that my boater wasn’t hitting.”
An experienced angler, Mueller lived in the Northeast for a long time, but he’s not lacking in experience on Lake of the Ozarks.
“I used to live out here, I lived in Missouri for 12 years,” he said. “This year is my first time back fishing these in probably 15 years, it’s cool seeing old friends and getting to fish down here again. It’s the same stuff; it’s changed some, because more of the brush is out. It used to be right on the cover of every dock was a brush pile. But, the fish are still relating to the docks.”
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Mike Mueller – 35 – 04 (13) – $33,500
2. Scott Parsons – 33 – 09 (14) – $4,623
3. Noah Dickneite – 30 – 08 (14) – $3,699
4. Alan Bernicky – 28 – 08 (14) – $3,336
5. Mark Cowart – 27 – 13 (12) – $2,774
6. Yusuke Takahashi – 27 – 07 (12) – $2,312
7. Joe Lee – 27 – 01 (11) – $1,849
8. Mason Chambers – 26 – 01 (12) – $1,618
9. Takaaki Kojima – 25 – 06 (10) – $1,387
10. Jason Swanson – 25 – 05 (12) – $1,156