Stahl Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division at the Harris Chain
When it comes to saving the best for last, co-angler John Stahl, a CAD drafter from Land O’Lakes, Florida, knows how to get it done. Today, Stahl caught the biggest limit of the week in the Strike King co-angler division – 20 pounds, 4 ounces – to come from seventh place and win the co-angler side of the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Southern Division event on the Harris Chain.
On Day 1, Stahl caught 8 pounds, 9 ounces flipping a red bug Yamamoto Senko with a 3/8-ounce weight behind pro Darrell Davis. On Da 2, pro Matt Baty took him out on deep hydrilla flats on Lake Harris where Stahl reeled in 14 pounds, 2 ounces on a ½-ounce gold Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap and a Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worm in red bug.
Today, Stahl was paired with pro Willy Dennison who took him to the same area he fished with Baty.
“As a co-angler you never know where you’re going or what you’re going to fish,” Stahl says. “Once I found out we were returning to the same area I fished the day before, it just helped the day get off to a good start. Having already fished there I knew what to expect.”
During the day, Stahl used a 3/8-ounce white ChatterBait with a Z-Man DeiZel MinnowZ trailer and the Speed Worm to haul in his big catch.
“With all the wind today I had to switch from a ¼-ounce weight to 5/8-ounce weight on the Speed Worm to help keep it down,” he says. “Once I went to that bigger weight I got some key bites.”
For his win, Stahl earns a fully-rigged Phoenix bass boat.
“This is a dream come true,” he adds. “I’ve been fishing these things for years trying to win a boat and it finally happened; what an awesome experience.”
Top 10 Strike King Co-Anglers
1. John Stahl – 42 – 15 (13) – $33,500
2. Todd Classon – 37 – 13 (13) – $5,000
3. Fisher Cusic – 36 – 11 (12) – $4,000
4. Jim House – 35 – 07 (12) – $3,500
5. Bill Spence – 35 – 06 (14) – $3,000
6. Eduardo Ramos – 33 – 11 (14) – $2,500
7. BJ Bass – 29 – 15 (13) – $2,000
8. Marshall Daugherty – 29 – 00 (11) – $1,750
9. Andy Niles – 27 – 07 (13) – $1,500
10. Steve Pennington – 26 – 14 (12) – $1,250