Local notches win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Boater Kaden Mueck of Livingston, Texas, caught a total of five bass weighing 23 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The tournament, hosted by Jasper County Development District, was the third of five events of the season for the BFL Cowboy Division. Mueck earned $10,530, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF bonus, for his victory.

“I had a little better hopes for the morning,” Mueck said. “I thought I could catch more fish (Garmin) LiveScoping to carry me throughout the day, but I only lucked out with one 6-pounder to start with. I had that one and a 4½, and that was about all I did ’Scoping.

“The rest of my damage I did was by dragging some shallow hard spots and secondary points, stuff like that,” Mueck went on to say. “I caught a lot of fish. I probably caught 50 to 60 fish throughout the day and gradually culled up, little by little.”

Mueck said he started his day in Buck Bay and planned to go up the lake in search of fish, but wind changed his mind, and he fished the majority of his day in the Ayish Bayou arm. Mueck said his LiveScope fish, including the big bass that came off of a laydown at 8:30, came on a minnow. The rest of the day he relied on a Carolina rig with a 1-ounce weight and a Berkley Powerbait Pit Boss.

“I thought it would take 25 to 28 pounds, maybe even 30 today,” Mueck said. “I was thinking if I could catch three big ones in the morning, I would be alright, but that didn’t go my way. I was pretty antsy. I figured I was going to get bumped out at weigh-in.

“I’ve always wanted to win one of these trophies with the fish on it. I’ve always thought they were really cool trophies.” Mueck added. “I’ve been close. I’ve ended up second and everything else, so this felt really good. Now I’m looking to win another one.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1^st - Kaden Mueck, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 23-4, $10,530 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)

2^nd - Wyatt Frankens, Corrigan, Texas, five bass, 19-9, $1,770

3^rd - Dwight Abshire, Santa Fe, Texas, five bass, 19-3, $890

4^th - Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., five bass, 18-6, $710

5^th - River Lee, Diboll, Texas, five bass, 18-4, $630

6^th - Joshua Teply, Harrah, Okla., five bass, 17-12, $540

7th - Cole Moore, Anacoco, La., five bass, 16-6, $520

8^th - Nikalos Tarkington, Gladewater, Texas, three bass, 16-3, $690

9^th - Louis Ferguson, Woodville, Texas, five bass, 15-13, $470

10^th - Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, five bass, 15-11, $550

Complete results may be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.