KELSEYVILLE, Calif.  – The big bass factory, Clear Lake, lived up to its name as Austin Bonjour of Atascadero, Calif. brought nearly 30 pounds of bass to the scales on Day One of the 2025 BAM Super 60 Pro Tour Championship.

Bonjour took the lead with 29.75, anchored by a 7.70-pound big bass to kick off the three-day throwdown, hosted by Konocti Vista Casino, presented by Tackle Warehouse and supported by conservation sponsor Fisherman’s Warehouse as 32 of the West’s best pro anglers battle for a Mercury-powered BassCat Boat grand prize.

Bonjour leaned on more than a decade of Clear Lake experience to dial in his Day One plan of attack.

“I just looked for stuff that matches history and then sometimes you get a little lucky and you pick the right stretch and sometimes you never get a bite and then you find ‘em,” he said. “The stretch I found today was pretty special.”

Bonjour described his strategy.

“I targeted fish that were eating bait in 5- to 30-feet of water with a mix of reaction and finesse baits,” he shared.

He credited a Z-Man Scented Jerk Shad for his success, presenting the bait on Stealth Stixx – a Skinny Pete and a Lil Pete, as well as IROD fishing rods.

“They are 7’2” to 7’7” medium, medium-light rods and really light braid – 10-pound braid to a 12- to 15-pound Seaguar Fluorocarbon,” he said.

Going into Day Two, the forecasted weather swings aren’t much of a factor for Bonjour.

“I’m going to pick up where I left up and do a lot of the same tomorrow,” he said. “Every day is new on Clear Lake. You can just go fishing.”

Robert Riehl Racks Up Numbers for ‘Most Scorable Bass’

While Bonjour sacked up the bigs, Rob Riehl stacked up bites, leading with Most Scorable Bass for his 13 keepers on Day One. Quantity wasn’t the original plan for Riehl, but the conditions forced a pivot.

“I went to spot number one couldn’t get anything to go,” he said. “I went to spot #2 and caught a fish on the first cast. As soon as I put the trolling motor down, I saw 10 fish on LiveScope, threw in and caught one. I chased that school for half an hour and couldn’t catch another fish on it. So, I just started doin’ what I used to do in the ‘80s and ‘90s and started catchin’ keepers.”

Transitioning weather patterns, from low to high pressure, made the bite tricky, forcing Riehl into finesse mode.

“There is nobody that hates drosphotting more than me and I dropshotted 90 percent of the day,” he shared. “As much as I was drosphotting today, I was split-shotting.”

His setup included 6- to 8-pound test, a Roboworm in Margarita Mutilator, and a Yamamoto Senko in two colors, rigged both weighted and weightless.

Riehl chased fish that moved throughout the day.

“I caught ‘em in 25- to 30-feet and caught ‘em in 3-feet,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to follow them with LiveScope, but I caught four fish on Scope out of the 300 that I threw at. That’s not normal.”

Despite the tough bite, Riehl feels things will turn and is ready to focus on weight for Championship Sunday.

“I have all the confidence in the world (with my history on the lake) that I can still chase the big ones.”

Bass fans can cheer on their favorite angler at the Konocti Vista Casino or tune in daily to BAM socials or the BAM website for each of the three competition days.

2025 Bass Boat Technologies Clear Lake BAM Super 60 Championship

The Bass Boat Technologies BAM Super 60 Pro Tour Championship on the legendary Clear Lake from November 14-16, 2025. Hosted at Konocti Vista Casino and presented by Tackle Warehouse, this elite, pro-only event is the final stop of the 2025 BAM Super 60 series.

 

Event Overview

• Competition days November14, to November 16
• Location: Konocti Vista Casino
• Weigh-ins: Daily at 3:00 PM (Konocti Vista Casino) – Open to the public
• Title sponsor: Bass Boat Technologies
• Presented by: Tackle Warehouse
• Top Ten compete the final day November 16

The Super 60 will feature the 32 best of the best western anglers battling on the legendary waters of Clear Lake. Each afternoon, watch the weigh-ins www.bamtrail.com or live at Konocti Vista Casino showcasing big Clear Lake bass. Fans and spectators are encouraged to attend and witness the action live.

Media & Press Invitation

Media representatives are invited to cover the BAM Super 60 event, offering a wealth of story angles, live-action visuals, and exclusive interview opportunities. Whether capturing the morning blast off, weigh-ins, or interviewing top anglers, this event is a perfect venue for local media stations.

For press credentials, interviews, or additional media support, contact:
Mark Lassagne | 925-787-3474 | mark@bassmag.com

Event Schedule

Clear Lake has been off limits has been Off-Limits since October 13, 2025 until the first day of competition, event competitors may not be on the water or gather outside information during this time.

Practice Days: There are no practice days for Super 60 events

Friday November 14 and Saturday November 15 anglers compete in a hybrid format (keeper and weight) vying for a spot in the top ten where the weight is zeroed on the final day.

Field Cut on Saturday – Only the Top 10 Advance

The $500 Tackle Warehouse Contingency will be awarded Saturday

Championship Sunday the Weights Zero and the top ten BAM Super 60 Anglers compete for the grand prize.

• 3:00 PM: BAM Super 60 Championship Weigh-In
  • Crown your 2025 Super 60 Champion
  • Award the Bass Boat Technologies $500 contingency
  • Top 10 Pros receive final payout

About the BAM Tournament Trail

Powered by Bass Angler Magazine’s nationwide print and digital reach, BAM offers unmatched marketing opportunities through its tournament trail website, print magazine, email campaigns, podcasts, social media, YouTube, and TV series — creating year-round exposure for anglers and sponsors alike.

BAM Tournament Trail Features:

• BAM Super 60 Pro Tour
• BAM Pro-Am Series
• Scholastic High School Series
• Kayak Series

BAM Trail is honored to be associated with its title sponsor, Bass Boat Technologies, and presenting sponsor, Tackle Warehouse. The trail is also supported by Storquest, Chicken Ranch Resort, Bass Cat Boats, Ford Fairfield, Power Pole, Mercury Outboards, Black Bear Diner, Bridgford Foods, Bob’s Machine, Anderson Auto Group, Sticky Graphics, Jean Deleonardi Real Estate,, Valley Outdoors and our conservation sponsor Fisherman’s Warehouse.

BAM TT tourism sponsors: Lake Don Pedro, City of Oakley, Lake Almanor Chamber, the Boardman Chamber, and the Feather River Tourism Association.

Tournament events include BAM Super 60 Pro Tour, Pro-Am, Scholastic and a Kayak Tours which can be viewed on YouTube.  Learn more here: BAM TRAIL, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

To or learn more:
Visit www.bamtrail.com
Watch Live: BAMTrail.com, Facebook & Instagram
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