After a storm-delayed start, the 2025 NPFL Stop Four ended with fireworks. Texas pro Chad Marlor stole the show on Finale Friday with a clutch 17-pound, 11-ounce bag, anchored by a jaw-dropping 8-1 largemouth that rocketed him into first place. His two-day total of 33-12 was enough to hold off Alabama’s Gerald Swindle, who nearly pulled off a comeback of his own with a two-day total of 31-11.
The final day proved tougher for much of the field—big bags were harder to come by, but the shallow bite held strong. Anglers sticking with bushes and flipping or burning spinnerbaits were still able to grind out solid weights. Marlor made the winning move by abandoning his day-one area and trusting a new stretch of water he hadn’t touched since practice—a gamble that paid off big with the day’s biggest bass.
Rounding out the top five: Mike Quinlin finished third with 30-9, KJ Queen in fourth with 30-4, and Greg Hackney just two ounces back in fifth at 30-2.
Spinnerbait Pays Big for Marlor
Texas pro Chad Marlor came to Eufaula with redemption on his mind. His last trip was a tough one—but this week, he got his revenge. Armed with two versions of a custom-built Hilandero Blades Spinnerbait, Marlor committed to burning it through the bushes and triggering reaction bites.
“I was 4x4 with that bait, just crashing it through the cover,” he said. “I settled into a tight little area on day one, caught a good one early, and just leaned on it. There were other guys around, but I stuck it out and made it work.”
On Finale Friday, he called an audible. Instead of returning to his day-one zone, Marlor ran to a new stretch of water he hadn’t touched since practice.
“I left that area alone during the last day of practice, just in case I needed it,” he said. “I didn’t know if it’d be clean or dirty, but I had a feeling. The water was a little clearer, and those big girls were ready to eat that spinnerbait.”
His timing proved perfect. Another angler was on the stretch he wanted, so Marlor gave them space and kept grinding until they moved off.
“I slid in and on the third cast, she ate it—an 8-pounder,” he said. “When she jumped, I just started praying she’d stay buttoned up. Got her in the livewell and had to take a minute to process it. I was blessed today, plain and simple.”
Marlor had a quick limit and that giant kicker sealed it. On a day when many of the leaders struggled, he made every bite count.
“If you didn’t have your fish by 10:30, you were in trouble,” he added. “I caught the right ones at the right time, and it all worked out.”
Swindle Swings to Second with Bush-Flipping Gameplan
Alabama pro Gerald Swindle made a hard charge on Finale Friday, nearly pulling off the comeback—if not for Chad Marlor’s Oklahoma giant. Swindle committed his two practice days to fishing flooded bushes and split time between a lower creek arm and one further upriver, ultimately deciding which to focus on for the tournament.
“On the first morning, I was headed to my area, and I wish I could say it was the plan, but I looked over and saw a bunch of white birds in the trees,” Swindle said. “I pulled in and started catching them instantly.”
With a Buckeye spinnerbait in hand, Swindle worked the area efficiently. His plan was to stay in a single creek, adjust as needed, and avoid running around. That extra fishing time paid off.
“The only real run I made was late this afternoon,” he said. “I told the camera guy we had ten minutes left, slid into a little protected pocket, and flipped up a 4.5-pounder. I needed every one of those minutes.”
On Day One, Swindle keyed in on the outer edges of the bushes—where other anglers were flipping the visible ones, he targeted the hidden stuff.
“Every good bite came from those out-of-sight bushes. Whenever that Buckeye bumped one, they’d crush it,” he said.
But Day Two started off weird. His first bites were small, and he missed a better fish. Knowing something had changed, Swindle adjusted—but didn’t abandon the spinnerbait entirely.
“I picked up a Zoom Brush Hog and started flipping,” he said. “You usually don’t connect right away with a switch like that, and I lost a couple in the bushes. But the next bite was a 4.5—and that one really helped.”
Water clarity wasn’t a major factor. Swindle fished the Dutch Creek area, which had slightly cleaner water than surrounding zones.
“I could see about ten inches,” he laughed. “But the fish bit, and I love fishing this kind of stuff. The mud actually rolled in heavier today, but I think it helped more than hurt.”
Top Ten:
- Chad Marler 33-12
- Gerald Swindle 31-11
- Mike Quinlin 30-9
- KJ Queen 30-4
- Greg Hackney 30-2
- Buddy Gross 29-10
- Brandon Cobb 29-2
- Tommy Biffle 29-2
- John Cox 28-9
- Hunter Baughman 28-2
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