GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Matteo Turano waited around to sign up for the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division event on Kentucky Lake. Not because he wasn’t sure he could do well, or because the event was far from his Tennessee home, but because he has big plans coming up. As the winner of the 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American, he’s qualified for Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by Mercury & Lowrance, and practice at Table Rock starts Monday.
Now, Turano will be starting practice with more momentum than anyone in the field (plus a significant check in the bank). Weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces on Day 3 at Kentucky Lake, Turano totaled 64-2 to earn the win for $66,506 and lock in a qualification for the Toyota Series Championship on Pickwick Lake.
Finishing second, Levi Kohl caught more thsn 20 pounds every day for a 62-12 total. In third, Drew Gill tallied up 62-4, and the legendary Jake Lawrence finished fourth with 62-2.
Day 2 largemouth keys the win for Turano
Turano was scratching his head during the afternoon on Day 2, with his three hours of forward-facing-sonar in the rearview and a livewell full of smallmouth, trying to come up with a big bite. Then, he struck gold, wrangling a 6-12 largemouth on a Ned rig, which put his bag up to 24-1 and gave him a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Turano never got that bite again on the final day, but still did plenty to take home the title.
“It was a way tougher day today,” he said. “I kept trying to fish for fish that I’d been fishing the last two days, and they were extra smart today.”
Starting with his ‘Scope off, Turano couldn’t muster anything on the bank, which was not uncommon this week.
“I didn’t turn my ‘Scope on until around 10,” he said. “I had zero fish in the boat – I couldn’t figure out how to catch any fish in the morning. So, I was already a little stressed. I was hoping I’d get at least one bonus bite in the morning.”
But when the graphs lit up, Turano kicked it in gear.
“The first fish that I caught was a 4 1/2-pounder,” he said. “That got me feeling pretty good. I fished around for a little longer, caught a couple little ones, and ended up catching another 4-pounder in that same area. Which made me stay for way too long, because all the other fish in that area were not eating.
“So, I switched up areas near the end of my ‘Scope period, I think I had 40 minutes left. I found a little area I hadn’t messed with yet, and they were pretty easy to catch. I caught about 10 off that spot, including two good ones, and culled twice with some 3-pounders.”
Coming in to weigh-in with nearly 19 pounds in the ‘well, Turano knew that if he was going to win, Day 2 was the day that won it for him.
“I didn’t get another miracle largemouth like yesterday. That largemouth yesterday was really why I won the tournament – it was not today, it was yesterday,” he said. “I got that one lucky bite. There’s not that many big largemouth in here – there’s a lot of little ones. To catch one over 6 pounds is truly a rare fish. The fact that I did it with no ‘Scope, out fan casting in the middle of the lake – it’s just meant to be.”
Turano puts on a smallmouth spawn clinic
This week on Kentucky Lake, it was all about the smallmouth spawn. Most of the top finishers relied on it almost exclusively, and a lot of the damage got done in the few hours pros had with forward-facing sonar at their disposal.
According to Turano, he thinks he cast at about 200 beds over three days, which is an astonishing number, considering he did it over only nine hours.
“There was one flat that I was fishing, and every little piece of wood had two or three beds on it,” he said. “I found a ton of fish in practice; I wasn’t sure they would stay the whole week, but I had just enough. I could tell today it was the worst day to do it, but I managed to just get enough.
“I think a big key to my week was moving on to another fish when I couldn’t get one to eat. Almost all the fish I caught this week were on the first or second cast. So, I had to keep that in mind, even if I saw a big one chase it, I knew I was better off just finding a new one.”
Another big key was that Turano didn’t get stuck on last year’s waypoints, and he quickly got dialed on the places that had fish spawning this week.
“At different water levels during the spawn, they spawn on different pieces. It might only be a foot or two difference,” he explained. “The areas I was catching them really good last year, it wasn’t the same. They were nearby; but in practice, I found they were spawning on the other side of the bar, the deeper side. We had really low water, we haven’t had big rains this year, and the water warmed up so quick that they started spawning when they typically wait a little longer, until the water comes up.”
Turano mostly went with the traditional jig and minnow to catch his fish, using a 1/8- or 3/16-ounce head with a 5-inch Yamamoto Hinge Minnow. He threw that on a 7-foot, 1-inch, medium Phenix Feather with 15-pound braid and a 15-pound fluorocarbon leader. He mixed in a drop-shot with a 6-inch Roboworm Straight Tail Worm in bold bluegill, and his largemouth Ned rig consisted of a 3-inch Roboworm Ned Worm and a Northland Tackle Tungsten Nedster.
Turano, and a few others, have perfected the spring smallmouth game on Kentucky Lake in recent years. This week, he and the rest of the locals showed why they’re so dangerous on their home turf, turning in consistency and high-level weights despite limited time with modern sonar. Now, after a good rest, he’ll be rolling west to Table Rock and the biggest event he’s ever fished.
“I’m feeling amazing,” he said. “An hour ago, I was super stressed out, it was a really close tournament. I’m super grateful I signed up this week and gave it a try. I wasn’t sure if I was going to sign up, because it was so close to REDCREST. I just wanted to make sure I was prepared for REDCREST, but I don’t know of a better way to prepare for a tournament than going out and winning one and getting some momentum.”
Top 10 pros
1. Matteo Turano – 64 – 2 (15) – $66,506 (includes $35,000 Phoenix Bonus)
2. Levi Kohl – 62 – 12 (15) – $11,918
3. Drew Gill – 62 – 4 (15) – $9,227
4. Jake Lawrence – 62 – 2 (15) – $7,689
5. Brody Campbell – 61 – 14 (15) – $6,920
6. Grant Meisenhelter – 59 – 4 (15) – $6,151
7. Brad Jelinek – 59 – 4 (15) – $5,382
8. Carter Nutt – 58 – 12 (15) – $4,613
9. Ethan Fields – 57 – 3 (15) – $3,845
10. Drew Morgan – 56 – 8 (15) – $3,076