Adkins, Cooper Claim Titles on Dale Hollow
Mountain Division went back-to-back over the weekend
It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Byrdstown with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake events. FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, rescheduled the events after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to pause competition in mid-March.
Boater Dustin Cooper of Livingston, Tennessee, brought a five-bass limit to the scale totaling 18 pounds, 3 ounces to win Saturday’s event, while Brad Adkins of West Liberty, Kentucky, brought in a limit weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces on Sunday to earn the win. Cooper earned a total of $5,763 for his victory Saturday while Adkins won Sunday’s top prize of $5,584.
“I fished on the lower end of the lake, close to the dam,” says Cooper, who earned the first win of his career. “I was fishing offshore humps all day, throwing a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm.
“I’ve got a lot of experience here, and it paid off big for me. I know where the fish like to go in their summertime patterns and it worked out today.”
The top five boaters on Saturday:
1st: Dustin Cooper of Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 18-3, $5,763
2nd: Nick Ratliff of Vine Grove, Ky., five bass, 17-13, $3,091
3rd: Marcus Jackson of Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $1,216
3rd: Blake Smith of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $1,216
3rd: Eric Foister of Clarksville, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $1,216
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Ratliff brought a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass to the scale to win Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $710.
Seth Davis of Harrison, Tennessee, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500 Saturday. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Gault wins co-angler title
Alex Gault of Flintville, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $2,381 Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday:
1st: Alex Gault of Flintville, Tenn., five bass, 15-3, $2,381
2nd: Wayne Crouch of Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 12-11, $1,191
3rd: Tracy Helton of London, Ky., five bass, 12-2, $673
3rd: Bryce Shockley of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 12-2, $673
5th: Bert Kissick of Danville, Ky., five bass, 12-0, $476
Dakota Cantrell of Decherd, Tennessee, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 4 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $355.
Adkins wins on Sunday
On Sunday, Adkins won the event flipping a jig, throwing a Carolina rig and on a crankbait.
“I caught a big one early flipping, then it really slowed down on me,” Adkins says. “Around 11 o’clock I caught two on a Carolina rig. A little later my co-angler caught one on a drop-shot rig and when he brought that fish up, there were 40 to 50 fish right with it.
“So, I picked up a crankbait and caught them right then in a flurry. It happened quick and was magical for about 30 minutes. It was one of the same spots where I caught a few Saturday, but today it was just lights out.
“When it’s your time, it’s your time and everything just came together for me,” Adkins goes on to say.
The top five boaters on Sunday:
1st: Brad Adkins of West Liberty, Ky., five bass, 18-8, $5,584
2nd: Blake Smith of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 16-3, $2,292
3rd: Talmadge Marcum of McKee, Ky., five bass, 15-0, $1,529
4th: Eric Foister of Clarksville, Tenn., five bass, 14-14, $1,070
5th: Josh Bolen of Wayland, Ky., five bass, 13-10, $917
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Dale Hollow can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Sam Morgan of Coalmont, Tennessee, brought a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $675.
William Merrick of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, was Sunday’s highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500.
Dean claims co-angler prize on Sunday
Jimmy Dean of Stanford, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $2,292 Sunday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Sunday:
1st: Jimmy Dean of Stanford, Ky., five bass, 15-13, $2,292
2nd: Wayne Crouch of Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 12-15, $1,146
3rd: Bill Haunert of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 12-9, $765
4th: Brandon Barker of Nicholasville, Ky., five bass, 12-8, $496
4th: Jared Rudd of Salyersville, Ky., five bass, 12-8, $496
Doug Dewar of Burlington, Kentucky, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $337.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Dale Hollow Lake was hosted by Star Point Marina & Resort. It was the second and third of five qualifying events in the Mountain Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Mountain Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.