SMYRNA, Tenn. – Boater Brian Carper of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Percy Priest Lake. The tournament was the second event for the Bass Fishing League Music City Division. Carper earned $4,541 for his victory.
“I pulled up to my first spot and there was somebody already there, so I had another spot close by and made a pass down the bank that resulted in three keepers,” Carper said. “We went up and down that bank about 10 times over the next four or five hours.”
Brian Carper
Carper said he relocated after catching a limit, but returned to that area and caught two on the other side of that island. Carper, who guides on Percy Priest, said he threw an Alabama rig with four 4-inch swimbaits and a 5-inch swimbait in the middle all day and targeted “typical smallmouth territory this time of year” – mid-lake gravel banks with boulders in 8 to 12 feet of water. Carper said he caught one keeper and two short largemouth as well during the day.
“This win is awesome,” Carper said. “I’ve been fishing tournaments for a long time, and I’m coming off of another tournament win, so I’m going to take it easy for a while and just enjoy being on Cloud Nine.”
The Top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Brian Carper, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 17-12, $4,541
2nd: Joel Trevino, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 16-9, $2,470
3rd: Joshua Newsome, Rock Bridge, Tenn., five bass, 13-5, $1,514
4th: John Smith, Christiana, Tenn., four bass, 13-4, $1,060
5th: Joey Mallicoat, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 13-0, $1,408 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Jay Melton, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 12-13, $833
7th: Matt Underhill, Lascassas, Tenn., five bass, 11-13, $719
7th: James Ball, Elmwood, Tenn., five bass, 11-13, $719
9th: Scott Brummett, Brentwood, Tenn., five bass, 11-9, $605
10th: Eric Blankendaal, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 11-7, $530
