In addition 13 Fishing rods will be drawn for as draw prizes.

Joe Bass Team Trail is known for it’s efforts of rewarding their anglers with sponsor product and cash. Primarily the SAVE A RECEIPT program where anglers turn in receipts for products purchased from sponsors for the chance at $1000.00

About 13 Fishing®. They designs rods with scrupulous detail. With innovative, technical construction and components, 13 Fishing brings a fresh, modern impression to the entire sport. You can be reassured that they feel as good as they look! 13 Fishing performance-driven rods continue to deliver outstanding results to anglers across the planet!

*fine print. Must attend Invitational. Must present actual receipt purchased anywhere 13 Fishing rods are sold. 1 per angler. Rods chosen by Joe Bass Team Trail while supplies last.

13 Fishing

The talent of the Joe Bass anglers rang out loud and clear with 752 bass weighed over the two-day event.  Given the radical change in the weather, that’s quite an accomplishment!  What’s just as amazing is the 2.5 pound average weight per fish, again quite a feat given the number of smaller spotted fish weighed.  Most importantly, all but two of the 752 bass, over 1968 pounds of fish, was released alive via the Taylor Grubaugh Chevrolet, Buick & GMC release boat.  That’s the result of your fish care throughout the day and the support facilities provided by Taylor Grubaugh.  Now, on to the fishing!

Taking top honors for the Invitational was local sticks Brad Jelink and Brock Reinkemeyer.  Brad and Brock’s winning stringer of 10 Truman bass locked the scales at 37.21 pounds.  With a 5.28 pounder for their biggest fish, they averaged over 3.5 pounds a fish for the balance, showing the overall quality of their fish.  Despite the ever-present mention of a crappie bomb as their lure of choice, Brad and Brock noted they caught their fish on Six Sense Devine worms along with the Truman standard 10” worm.  They focused shallow, targeting small rock piles on flats.  Brad noted he tried to fill the lake in by breaking off a ton of Brock’s tungsten jigs and went through a bunch of line tying on new ones!

In an event that saw day one weather consisting of high winds, hail, and drenching rain, followed by stronger winds, high skies, and a drop in temperatures on day two, experience can manifest itself in making the adjustments to produce bites during the chaotic conditions.  No team in the derby has more experience on the lake than Chris Bridges and Steve Prince.  The longtime team dropped a two day total of ten fish that weighed 35.44 pounds on the scales to take the runner up position.  Just as Brad and Brock’s total included a 5.28 big fish, Chris and Steve also anchored their bag with a 5.28 bass, again showing the strength of the rest of their fish.  To no one’s surprise, their weapons of choice was a spinnerbait teamed with a Dave’s Custom Baits squarebill.  Chris and Steve noted they moved super deep (for them!), catching their fish in 6’-10’ of water.  They also noted bites were tough to come by, as their fishing resulted in quality over quantity.

Rounding out the podium positions was Jordan Willams and Trevor Bartlett.  After a tough start to the Truman Division season, Jordan and Trevor mounted a comeback once the lake dropped to a super low level.  Jordan and Trevor brought a ten fish limit to the scales that weighed a total of 34.10 pounds.  Mimicking the other top teams, their entire bag each day was built from quality fish as their big for the event was just a tick over 4.5 pounds, meaning the remaining nine fish averaged over 3 pounds apiece.  Jordan and Trevor caught the majority of their fish on jigs pitched to shallow wood cover, with a few topwater fish added in for good measure on day 1.  They mentioned catching good numbers of fish under the overcast skies on Saturday with fishing pushing tighter to the cover and getting tougher to trigger under Sunday’s bluebird skies.

The event’s Impel Union big bass award went to Clay and Jay Henderson.  Their 6.77 pound monster anchored their 23.19 pound total.  Clay and Jay shared the brute bit a spinnerbait on day 1.

Peyton Stumpf of Trippple P Custom’s will award Clay and Jay a replica of their big bass, a value of $500!

There were several special derbies taking place in parallel with the main event.  These included the Blackbeard Marine Skeeter shootout that pitted anglers that purchased a new Skeeter from Blackbeard during the 2025 season for a sidepot consisting of $500 per Skeeter purchased throughout the season.  The $4000 shootout winner was Jeff Epley who teamed with Danny Burns.  They used spinnerbaits and squarebills to put bass in Jeff’s 2025 FXR21 Skeeter boat.

The top three points teams in each division competed for the Clear-Cast Marine Tournament of Champions prize.  The contest places all the points champions against each other, the same for the second place teams and finally the third place teams.  Taking the top Team of Champions honors for the 1^st place points leaders was Billy Greenwell and Wayne Garrison.  The C&C Valley Transmission Truman Points champions threw chatterbaits and spinnerbaits in the rain on day 1 and switched to their stalwart big worm presentation on Day 2.

The runner-up team in the Lake of the Ozarks Window World division, Mark and Markie Thompson, inched out the other 2^nd place points team by slinging spinnerbaits and buzzbaits to shallow wood.

Matthew Rogers and Connor Cunningham, third place points finishers in the Championship Marine Repair Open Division, topped the remaining 3^rd place teams.  They used a jig and worm combination to catch their fish.

As a means to recognize the efforts put forth throughout the year, Joe Bass staffers participated in a side derby for paid entries into their primary division for 2026.  Mark and Markie Thompson eked out the other staffers to take the Staff Shootout honors.

The Top Skeeter award went to Mark and Markie Thompson.  They padded their 12^th place overall finish by keeping a spinnerbait wet followed with a buzzbait and squarebill to put a total of 27.73 pounds in Mark’s 2023 ZXR20 Skeeter.

The 2026 Joe Bass season will kick off with a back-to-back weekend starting with the Table Rock Winter Division opener on Saturday November 22 from Mill Creek followed on Sunday November 23 at LoZ based out of Alhonna Resort.

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Final Results

Bob Jany and Dennis Scheild came out on top on a tough fishing day. They dropped an even 14.00 pounds on the scales to take the win. Bob and Dennis shared their C&C Valley Transmission key to success was throwing a combination of spinnerbaits and brush hogs shallow, concentrating on 1’-6’ of water. Fishing was tough as they didn’t boat their limit fish until 2:30.

Veterans Chris Bridges and Steve Prince came in a close second. Their catch locked the scales at 13.76 pounds. They used a big worm in 2’-6’ of water to trigger bites.

Marty Watson and Doug Long rounded out the top three. Their five fish limit pushed the scales to 13.63 pounds. They spent the day slinging blades shallow on main lake points. They padded their 3rd place check with the Top Skeeter award as they fished from their 2022 ZXR21.

Newly crowned C&C Valley Transmission Truman Division points champions Wayne Garrison and Billy Greenwell narrowly missed out on a place check but did secure the Impel Union big bass of the day. Their 4.10 largemouth sucked in a big worm late in the day to gain them some spending money.

Be sure and check the website for Invitational information, including the signup link, as no letters will be mailed this year. SIGN UP NOW.

Joe Bass Invitational to be held out of Bucksaw Resort and Marina.

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First off Rapala has introduced the PXR Mavrik 110. Stickbait fishing in the Ozarks is a winter technique we all do. Rapala’s Mavrik is a stickbait that is going to be a player in this seasons tournaments.

Crush City has introduced their own take on some soft plastic tackle staples Mooch Minnow, Janitor, Hedgehog, Pigstick and Freeloader. Past favorites The Mayor, Bronco Bug, Cleanup Craw, Ned Blt feature NEW Colors and some new sizes.

How many of you are aware that VMC has introduced Spinnerbaits to their line up? Their NEW RSS Redline Series Spinnerbaits are made with only the best VMC components. After handling one of these baits it’s impossible to imagine any better spinnerbait on the market.

Jigs? Who doesn’t like jigs? I have ran 100’s of tournaments over the years and the jig is always mentioned in the check line. VMC NEW additions in the jig market are the UT Utility Jig, HDSJ Heavy Duty Swim Jig, FJ Finesse Jig, and FJW Weedless Football Jig. These jigs will win tournaments all feature VMC hooks.

Sufix NEW Revolve is specifically designed for finesse applications. It is a ultra thin finesse braid. Sufix NEW Revolve is ideal for FFS techniques.

Storm the maker of the famous Wiggle Wart has introduced the Speed Trap. This crankbait comes in many Ozarks favorite colors and patterns. Wanna crank shallow? Check out the Speed Trap.

These are just a few of the NEW baits by RAPALA. Check out their website for more.

Joe Bass offers to the anglers FREE Rapala products each month with the Rapala brands Pro pack.

Here is how it works;

1. Purchase any Rapala, Crush City, Storm, Crush City, VMC or Sufix items.
2. Write your name and phone number on the empty packages.
3. Turn those empty packages (not the receipt. save that for Save A Receipt drawing) to any Joe Bass Team Trail director at any of our tournaments.
4. Each month we will draw from those packages. 1 will receive the Rapala Pro pack.

In addition SAVE A RECEIPT. $1000.00 additional possible at the year end Invitational. Plus dozens of Pro packs awarded to the Invitational participating anglers.

Rapala has shown superior support of Joe Bass Team Trail this year as in years past. Let’s give back to them buy purchasing their products. If you got a story or pictures you would like to tell about RAPALA products, send them to me and I’ll see it gets to the right people at RAPALA. Send it to me here.

Thanks for reading.

Bob

The 2025 Mid America RV Bull Shoals Division wrapped up under cold rainy conditions, a fitting conclusion to a winter tournament series. However, the bite was on as multiple teams topped the 20 pound mark and it took nearly 19 pounds to cash a check and find one’s name atop the Window World Leaderboard. 20 teams averaged over 11 pounds a bag, yet every fish still counts towards qualifying points for the Joe Bass Invitational to be held next fall.

Jacob Christenson topped off a sensational season by taking the top win. His 20.88 pound stringer, anchored by the 5.55 pound Impel Union big bass of the event, set the top mark. Jacob shared his Mid America RV Key to Success was working an A-rig over deep brushpiles. He targeted cover located on the sides of points in the 30’ to 40’ depth range.

Landon Edwards and Cody Ellison also concluded a strong season with a 20.72 pound bag. Cody noted they also leaned on deep brushpiles to catch 15-20 keepers throughout the day. Landon and Cody added to their 2nd place check by taking the Top Skeeter honors as they fished from Landon’s 2013 ZX21 Skeeter.

Joe Nathum and John D Hill wrapped up the top three. They jumped off to a good start, boating nearly 40 keepers from 80’ of water early in the day before “losing the school”.. They “scoped” their fish and fed them a steady diet of jigs setup.

Special thanks are in order for Mid America RV for their support of the 2025 season. Darren and the crew at Buck Creek Marina once again provided a warm spot for the morning check in and are owed a ton of gratitude for the effort!

Take note!!!  Clear Cast marine electronics repair is now supporting Joe Bass Team Trail.  Be sure and visit their website for details for your repair and setup needs!

Peyton Stumpf of Trippple P Custom’s will award a replica fishmount valued at $500 to the winner of the big bass award at this fall’s Truman Invitational.  Check out Trippple P Customs for custom painted swimbaits, crankbaits and more!

Invitational qualifiers listed on standings page.

Facebook is the 1st place to look for tournament date changes and cancellations. Sign up and become informed. Like and join us on Facebook & Instagram.

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Jacob Christenson continued a stellar run in the division by taking the top spot for the day. An 18.92 bag, anchored by the 4.13 pound second place big bass of the day, proved to be the winning standard. Jacob explained that his Mid America RV Key to Success was working through a dozen keepers caught on a jig. He targeted specific fish hugging breaklines in the 30’ to 40’ depth range.

Wyatt Marler and Bailey Bewley took the remaining paying spot with an 18.21 pound stringer. They leveraged the Impel Union big bass of the event to push them to the runner up spot. Bailey noted they scoped a few fish with a Psycho Shad drop bait. Wyatt chimed in the bulk of their fish, including the 4.70 pound kicker, came on an A-rig thrown to isolated fish in open water.

Bryan Barnard and Logan Schuh landed the Top Skeeter honors. They got away before details could be gleaned, but putting 13.41 pounds in their Skeeter livewell put some  Skeeter Boats   money in their pocket. They took off before pictures and getting their check. Rusty will have check at next tournament.

As noted in the last event’s write up, we need to continue to concentrate on fish care during the day as there were a few fish that needed fizzed after being released. Let’s bring ‘em to the scales ready to be weighed and released.

The final event of the Bull Shoals Division will take place on Saturday February 15 with a 7:00am takeoff from Buck Creek Marina.

Like us on Facebook & Instagram then send a Thank you to our sponsors. All tournament cancellations and updates run throught he website, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up today.

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Wyatt Marler teamed with Bailey Bewley to follow up on a good event from the prior weekend.  Scoping brushpiles with an A-rig was the reported trick that led to a 19.41 pound winning weight.  Wyatt added that the Mid America RV Key to Success was working through a couple of dozen keepers to get to their winning weight.

Cody Ellison and Landon Edwards narrowly missed the win as their best five bass locked in at 19.04 pounds.  They mixed an A-rig with a minnow bait while fishing brushpiles and shad balls.

Buck Comstock and Greg Blair rounded out the top three.  After some diversionary tactics being offered, they fessed up to scoping their fish with a Damiki rig.  They noted an all day bite that put 30 keepers in the boat, but they had to work through a couple of slow periods before hitting another flurry.  Their final weight pushed the scales to 18.92 pounds.

Eric Tolliver and Zach Lawerence added to their fourth place finish by boating the  Impel Union big bass of the event.  The 5.76 largemouth anchored their 18.76 pound bag.

Cody Miller fished alone in his 2019 ZX250 Skeeter, taking the Skeeter Boats  check for the second event in a row.  Cody put 15.87 pounds of bass in the Skeeter’s livewell.

Anglers, perk your ears up for a bit of advice!  There is an increasing number of fish being brought to the scales that should have been fizzed earlier in the day.  It’s not the staff’s responsibility to dedicate an already limit number of resources to take care of fish that should have been cared for as soon as they were caught.  Let’s take care of our fish so we can concentrate on getting them weighed and returned to the lake in perfect condition as soon as possible.

On a somber note, the Joe Bass community extends the deepest of sympathies to Eric and Dustin Blevins upon the passing of Eric’s dad Bill Blevins.   There aren’t words to adequately express our condolences, but rest assured you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

The next event of the Bull Shoals Division will take place on Saturday January 18 with a 7:00am takeoff from Buck Creek Marina.

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Eric Toliver and Zach Lawerence took advantage of the wind and cloud cover to sling spinnerbaits on an all day bite. They targeted shallow brush to catch 30 keepers, with their best five locking in at 17.71 pounds. They noted their Mid America RV Key to Success was multiple throws to cover in the 2’-5’ depth range.

Jacob Christeson worked solo to finish in second place. Jacob chose to drag a jig down deep points to catch 16.88 pounds. He also noted catching lots of keepers, estimating he worked through 15-20 keepers throughout the day.

Kevin Hyde and John D. Hill kept a jig in their hands to round out the top three. They narrowly missed a second place finish as their stringer pushed the scales to 16.85 pounds. They shared they got off to a quick start, having a limit by 10:00 am.

Eric and Dustin Blevins boated the Impel Union big bass of the event. The 4.89 largemouth fell to an a-rig.

Cody Miller fished along in his 2019 ZX250  Skeeter Boat. His 15.34 pound bag sent him home with the Top Skeeter check.

The next event of the Bull Shoals Division will take place on Saturday January 4 with a 7:00am takeoff from Buck Creek Marina.

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Wyatt Marler and Nick Lawler have been a tear of late and their streak continued with a win at the season opener.  Wyatt shared their Mid America RV Key to Success was taking advantage of the overcast conditions to cover water with spinnerbaits and top water.  Their five fish limit locked in at a derby-best 15.76 pounds.

Right on their heels was Landon Edwards and Cody Ellison.  They dropped 15.21 pounds on the scales to take the runner up position.  Although there was some debate on their tactics, it’s a safe bet they were “looking” at the fish they caught!

Tyler Duggins and Chance Davis rounded out the podium positions.  They logged a 14.78 pound bag.  They ran the 8’-10’ depth range slinging spinnerbaits and topwaters on an all day bite.

Jacob Christeson didn’t need any help to land a 4^th place finish, but boating the Impel Union big bass of the event definitely helped him get to a 14.12 stringer.  The kicker weighed in at a solid 4.42 pounds and was one of 7 keepers Jacob caught on a topwater.

Mark and Sam Mahaffey secured another Top Skeeter Boats  check as they put 12.22 pounds of bass in Mark’s 2023 ZXR21 Skeeter.  They fished jigs and spinnerbaits to weigh a limit of smallmouth.

The next event of the Bull Shoals Division will take place on Saturday December 14 with a 7:00am takeoff from Buck Creek Marina .

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However, the nice weather was accompanied by the annual fall transition that makes it difficult to locate and pattern the bass.  The stats prove that out, as only 16 teams managed a 2-day 10 bass limit.  It’s very appropriate to acknowledge the anglers attention to fish care, as early fall can present issues with fish coming from a variety of depths.  Thanks to your diligence, along with the live release boat provided by Taylor Grubaugh Chevrolet, Buick & GMC, every one of the 564 brought to the scales were returned alive to the lake!  With that, let’s get to the details of those that found their names atop the Window World Leaderboard.

Eric and Dustin Blevins made the trip north to take the 2024 Joe Bass Invitational crown.  Leading after the Day 1 weigh-in with a 17+ pound bag, Dustin and Eric brought another solid bag to the scales to finish with a total 10 fish limit weighing 31.22 pounds.  As reigning Bull Shoals Division points champions, they also received free entry for the 2025 Bull Shoals division that kicks off November 9^th  as part of the Tournament of Champions side-derby that found them topping the group of division winners.  With local events coming up in the next few weekends, along with the fact that the top three teams were together during the interview period, details proved more difficult than normal, which is truly saying a lot!  There was some discussion of a spoon bite below the Beaver Lake dam, what appeared to be an honest revelation that none of this fish came on a Rock Crawler, and a hearty reception of the suggestion they caught their fish on a Taku Ito OSP Saikora “fuzzy dice” bait covered in Norie’s BaitPowder.  Perhaps the truth might be, just a guess, of course, is they ran a bunch of water with a swimbait.

Narrowly missing the win was another team known to the dominate the Ozarks lakes, Landon Edwards and Cody Ellison.  Their two-day total pushed the scales to 30.96 pounds.  They also added to their take as they bested the other 3^rd place points team competing for gift cards in the side-derby.  Landon was also tentative to provide too many details, but did offer the majority of their fish fell to a football jig worked near brushpiles.  The duo also weighed a key fish or two each day that fell to a Zara Spook thrown to schooling fish they came across while motoring through their milkrun of brushpiles.

Rounding out the top three was another young team that has been on a tremendous role of late.  Drew Sagely and Taylor Surly were nipping at the leader’s heels with a 29.96 bag.  Surrounded by their buddies and maintaining the reluctance to divulge too many details, Drew noted their dominate bait was a jig.  They also focused on brushpiles, making repeated stops in hopes of catching fish that had moved onto the cover.  Drew and Taylor did share they went through a lot of bites to catch their keepers, something quite different than many in the field saw as most spoke of a struggle for bites.

Pomme de Terre Division points champions Cody Campbell and Quinten Carr only managed two keepers for the derby.  However, their day 1 fish locked in at 4.78 pounds, good enough to net them the NAPA big bass of the event.  Cody explained their big fish bit a secret bait (jig) flipped to a root wad and offered a bit of excitement before they pulled it out of the tangle.

Rounding out the Tournament of Champions winners were Bryan and Darren Baker.  They topped the other 2^nd place points teams to take home gift cards for their efforts.

Barb and Marc Cooper took the Top Staff honors in their side derby by weighing 8 fish for a total of 17.32 pounds of T-Rock bass.

Mark and Sam Mahaffey added to their 13^th place finish by taking Skeeter honors.  Contrary to the other Bull Shoals Division teams that had top finishes, Mark providing plenty of details by listing that their fish included a few smallmouth early on jigs, one a glide bait, some on a Spook, and a few on a Plopper, all slung from Mark’s 2022 ZXR20 Skeeter bass boat.

Thanks to all that made the 2024 Invitational an enjoyable event.  It cannot be stressed enough that it takes a combination of anglers, staff and sponsors to make a viable tournament circuit.  Joe Bass boasts the best of all three.  The key is to get the three groups to coalesce in a manner that provides the maximum benefit for all.  In others words, as anglers we love the amount of product the sponsors provide us through the circuit.  For the circuit to be a viable advertising medium for the sponsors, the anglers have to patronize them throughout the season.  In today’s tricky economy, businesses are stretched by multiple requests for support.  Help Joe Bass continue to offer the maximum amount of support possible by acknowledging the sponsors by clicking on the link below to thank the sponsors!

Of particular note, please take a minute and let the following folks know of your appreciation for the above-and-beyond support of this years trail and Invitational: Clink on email link.

Skeeter Director of Marketing Chris Brown: christopher_brown@yamaha-motor.com

Skeeter Rep Eric Stockwell (onsite at Invitational): eric_stockwell@yamaha-motor.com

Coors Light Distributor CEO Lance Foresee: lforesee@hoabev.com

The only way Joe Bass can retain this high level of support is for us, the anglers, to reciprocate the support back to the sponsors.

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For over 15 years the Joe Bass Team Trail Live Release Boat has safely returned thousands of tournament caught bass to their home waters alive and unharmed. One of the key features of the boat is that it enables the entire day’s catch to be released at favorable locations throughout the lake, instead of being released at a weigh-in site along the shoreline.

Taylor Grubaugh Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC proudly sponsors the Joe Bass Team Trail Live Release pontoon. Their support provides a valuable resource for the Joe Bass Team Trail live release program. They are located at 1634 N Porter Wagoner Blvd in West Plains MO. 65775-1806 See them for your Chevrolet, Buick and GMC needs.

Smart Buy Tire, Inc. is the smart choice for all of your tire and automotive needs. They offer tires for all types of vehicles and provide auto repair services. They are family-owned and operated, and fisherman boat trailer and truck knowledgeable. See them for scheduled maintenance, auto repair, and Missouri vehicle inspection services.

Smart Buy Tire Inc. offers free estimates for any type of service. Call (417) 831-3589 to request more information. They have a night drop box and offer rides within the city limits. Free coffee and free Wi-Fi are available in their waiting area. They are open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

All purchases from Smart Buy Tire, Inc. are Save A Receipt elegible. WIN $1000.00 in additional monies at the 2025 Team Invitational!

Stop in and say hello to Doug Smart Antique & Table Rock angler.

While designed for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, CrushCity™ has proven itself for all types of species – Chase after bull redfish and speckled trout in the mangroves. Take these softbaits along in the kayak in search of stripers and peacock bass. Entice amberjack, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel surf fishing or casting from your favorite pier!

With superior shapes, action, and scent, these baits have become the “go-to” for avid multi-species anglers – ultimately putting more fish in the boat – wherever and whenever you want.

Get crushed and stay pinned by pairing CrushCity™ softbaits with VMC® terminal and Sufix® fishing line, creating the ultimate setup from spool to presentation.

“When you come out with a Rapala soft plastic brand – there’s a lot to live up to. It takes time to get it perfect. It takes time to make something special. It’s a lot of days on the water testing these baits to out what works and what doesn’t. We put the time into perfecting CrushCity.” – Jacob Wheeler

Visit Crush City

Skill and experience always factor into a top finish, but in a field comprised top to bottom with the best anglers from throughout the region, it can be hard to separate from the crowd.  Local sticks Brandon and Ron Rummel have spent a day or two on Stockton, and their skill level rang through bright and clear as they took top honors in the Invitational.  Team Rummel brought a two day 10 fish limit to the scales that locked at a 27.11 pound total.  Brandon noted they ran a true “junk” pattern, as their Albers Marine Key to Success involved working jigs and topwater baits on numerous shallow locations.  They joked that if they caught a fish, it was time to move as they found the bass to be widely scattered.  It often comes down to a kicker fish to push a team over the top, and in this case, Brandon and Ron anchored their bag with the NAPA Big Bass of the event, a stout 5.67 pounder.

Another veteran team that leveraged their knowledge of Stockton Lake, Jim Davidson and Mike Ashbacher took second places honors.  They also brought a 10-fish tournament limit to the weigh-in, with their bag pushing the scales to 25.69 pounds.  Jim and Mike also employed a self-professed junk pattern as they spent the weekend slinging spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, Senkos, ploppers and jigs to trigger their bites.

Proving experience counts, John Bennett and Darrel Reach rounded out the top three.  The long-time team has dealt with the volatility of Stockton Lake in the fall before, so they knew a good day one could be followed by a tough day two due to changing conditions.  Their time-proven approach was to lean on their strengths, which meant one throwing a spinnerbait with the other following up with a squarebill.  The eight keepers they weighed totaled 25.56 pounds, just off the second place weight, but also within striking distance of a win had they been able to trigger two more bites.  Nonetheless, a third place finish in an event of this magnitude simply adds to their lengthy tournament resume.

Last year’s Invitational winners, Kevin Johnston and Roger Waters, padded their 9^th place finish by taking Top Skeeter honors as they put 10 bass weighing 21.79 pounds into Kevin’s Skeeter bass boat.

Jeremy Gilbert joined the Skeeter family as his name was drawn for the sparkling red/white/black ZX150 draw boat.  Powered by a dependable Yamaha outboard and sitting on a Skeeter Built trailer, Jeremy’s new Skeeter is tournament ready!

Continuing the Tournament of Champions perk from last season, the division winners that fished the Invitational battled for 5 paid entries for the 2024 season.  Truman points leaders Bryce Rieder and Mike Edrington weighed 25.42 pounds to add the paid entries to their fourth place finish, resulting in a profitable weekend on the water.

New for the 2023 season, Joe Bass announced another side pot for qualifying staff teams.  Nine boats vied for a five paid entries for the 2024 season similar to the Tournament of Champions.  Ed Larson and Matt Cesar came out on top with a 7.83 total, providing a narrow .09 pound edge over the runner-up staff team.  They relied on a Chompers Possum Tail Worm to put their fish in Ed’s Skeeter boat.

Special thanks to all of the trail’s sponsors, especially Orleans Trail Marina and Resort for hosting the event and Taylor Grubaugh Chevrolet/GMC/Buick in West Plains for sponsoring the live release boat.  The division sponsors, 154 Marina (Mark Twain), Championship Marine (Open), TNT Quick Stop (Pomme de Terre), Mid America RV (Bull Shoals), Mike Smith Electric/Kavan Maybee Insurance (Antique), Hobbytime Motorsports (Truman), Motion Fishing (Lake of the Ozarks) Albers Marine (Stockton) and Chompers (Table Rock) are the lifeblood of the trail.  Lucas Oil provided a ton of giveaway product at the registration meeting, as did Rapala/VMC/Storm/Sufix.  Thanks to Napa for their sponsoring the Big Bass awards for the season.  As mentioned above, visit the website for a complete list of save-a-receipt sponsors and show your appreciation by supporting each of them!

Like us on Facebook & Instagram then send a Thank you to our sponsors.

The 2024 schedule is on the website, with the season starting with Rusty’s inaugural Bull Shoals event at Buck Creek Marina on November 4.

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Results