28 teams showed up at Robert Allen ramp for the season finale of the Mark Twain Lake division sponsored by 154 Marine. At stake, was the overall division points title, as well as teams trying to gain valuable points to qualify for both the Joe Bass Invitational October 23-25 at beautiful Truman Lake and the Mark Twail Lake Belt Battle September 12th.
Taking the top spot today was the Grandfather/Grandson team of Lonnie Franklin and Kyler Benne. Lonnie and Kyler fished typical summer pattern of Texas and Carolina rigged soft plastics, primarily on main lake points and flats. The teams 5 fish limit weighed 18.29 pounds. Included in their bag was the Wilson Truck Sales BIG JOE BASS weighing 6.95 pounds, the biggest bass weighed in a Joe Bass tournament at Mark Twain Lake this year! Lonnie said the big fish bit a Texas rigged soft plastic around 10am. In addition to first place and big bass, Lonnie won the Skeeter incentive as the team fished out of his 2010 ZX200, taking the teams total winnings to $2260.
Finishing in the runner up position was the team of Preston Hartung and Kale Johnson. Preston and Kale pretty much took “junk fishing” to the extreme Sunday, catching fish on several different presentations from the surface down to 15-foot depths dragging the bottom. The teams 5 fish limit weighed 16.64 pounds. Preston and Kale took home $940 for their efforts.
Taking the final “podium spot” with a great solo effort was Corey Kunkle. Corey bounced around main lake points, bluff ends and isolated brush piles, from the dam area back up to mid-lake. His baits of choice were shaky head and Texas rigged soft plastics. Corey’s 5 bass limit weighed in at 15.61 pounds. Included in his bag was the second big bass of the tournament weighing 5.63 pounds. Corey pocketed a total of $810 on the day.
Rounding out the top 5, fourth place goes to Deno Ek and James Medlock with 15.16. Fifth place goes to Jeff Schultz and Chris Barylski with 15.15.
The 2026 Mark Twain Division Points Champions are Don and Gary McFetridge with 868 of a possible 880 points. Congratulations! Don and Gary will have their entry fee paid by Joe Bass to the Joe Bass Invitational at Truman Lake in October and will be boat #1 for the 2027 Joe Bass Mark Twain Division.
28 teams 94 fish 94 released 17 limits
Our next Joe Bass event at Mark Twain Lake is September 12th, The Mark Twain Lake BELT BATTLE is by invitation only and will take-off out of Robert Allen ramp.
Host lodging for Joe Bass at Mark Twain is Country Inn Resort. (573)267-3800 Give Angela Pratt a call for reservations
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Photos
Results
| Place | Team Members | Fish | B/F | TotWgt | Pts | Payout |
| 1 | Lonnie Franklin – Kyler Benne | 5 | 6.95 | 18.29 | 220 | $2,260.00 |
| 2 | Preston Hartung – Kale Johnson | 5 | 4.19 | 16.64 | 219 | $940.00 |
| 3 | Corey Kunkle – | 5 | 5.63 | 15.61 | 218 | $810.00 |
| 4 | Deno Ek – James Medlock | 5 | 4.21 | 15.16 | 217 | $320.00 |
| 5 | Jeff Schultz – Chris Barylski | 5 | 4.15 | 15.15 | 216 | $208.00 |
| 6 | Charlie Kunkle – Keith Williams | 5 | 3.29 | 14.02 | 215 | |
| 7 | Don McFetridge – Gary McFetridge | 5 | 2.95 | 13.51 | 214 | |
| 8 | Keith Hendrix – Rusty Rothweiler | 5 | 12.38 | 213 | ||
| 9 | Tom Wilgus – Josh Holmes | 5 | 4.13 | 12.24 | 212 | |
| 10 | Dennis McFetridge – *Karen McFetridge | 5 | 12.22 | 211 | ||
| 11 | Greg Cooper – AJ Cooper | 5 | 12.21 | 210 | ||
| 12 | Dominic Perotti – Nick Perotti | 5 | 3.4 | 12.17 | 209 | |
| 13 | Kenny Wilkinson – Sammy Closser | 5 | 11.31 | 208 | ||
| 14 | Steve Chiaurro – Richard Dannegger | 5 | 10.51 | 207 | ||
| 15 | David Kampschroeder – Dustin Kampschroeder | 5 | 10.21 | 206 | ||
| 16 | Steve Weber – Sam Phillips | 5 | 10.06 | 205 | ||
| 17 | Guy White – Tyler Hays | 5 | 10.03 | 204 | ||
| 18 | Larry Rothwiel – Steve Smith | 3 | 3.59 | 8.16 | 203 | |
| 19 | Doug Buhr – Mike Tucker | 3 | 3.72 | 8.07 | 202 | |
| 20 | Andy Foust – Drew Foust | 2 | 3.9 | 201 | ||
| 21 | Matt Bryant – Scott Walker | 1 | 2.37 | 2.37 | 200 | |
| 22 | Brendan Ackerman – Oliver Siebert | 0 | 20 | |||
| Rick Buffington – | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Kurt Denningmann – Chad Denningmann | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Eric Londal – Mark Duncan | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Mike Pettitt – Colin Pettitt | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Christian Shoda – | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Phil J Zimmerman – Phil M Zimmerman | 0 | 20 |
*alternate