BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. – During an abbreviated Day Two on the waters of Lake Mohave, Bryant Smith of Roseville, Calif. claimed 11 scorable bass with the biggest five weighing 20.52 to add to his Day One 20.92. His two-day total of 41.44 was enough to push him from 8th place to first place as the BAM Tournament Trail Bass Boat Technologies Super 60 faced a top-10 field cut for Championship Sunday, where the remaining competitors will have their weights zeroed out and fish one final day for a grand prize of $50,000.
Although Smith has history on the lake, including his current reign as the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open champion, he hasn’t previously been on the fishery in the springtime.
“I’m really just makin’ it up as I go,” he said. “I fished a lot of new water today and caught some fish off that – some water I’ve never fished before in my life. There are some still spawining, and I caught one today that is still pre-spawn. The fish are kind of all over the board.”
Smith’s strategy has relied on his Lowrance Active Target 2. He has located his catches in depths of 5- to 25-feet, with a two-prong approach comprised of one of the newly released, 10-sided, skirted “fuzzy dice” presentations in green pumpkin and a spinnerbait.
“I’m seeing those fish out there and pitchin’ a Strike King Tumbleweed – it’s actually the new dice kind of bait,” he said. “My #1 setup (for the Tumbleweed) is an Alpha Angler DSR dropshot rod and a Lews Custom Lite Spinning Rod in the 300 Size with 12-pound braid, and a six-pound Seaguar Tatsu leader with just a little dropshot hook, with anywhere from a ¼- to a 3/8-ounce weight.”
Changing conditions, including the increased wind that forced Day Two to be limited to four hours, and possible rain have left Smith uncertain about Championship Sunday.
“Smallmouth like the sun and that’s my one concern because I’ve weighed in all smallmouth,” he shared. “I haven’t weighed in one largemouth and that might put a little bit of a wrench in our plan; but we will take what the lake gives us. That’s all we can do.”
Pierson Ups His Keeper Count to 35
Maintaining his runner-up position, as 2nd place overall, with the most scorable bass, Randy Pierson of Oakdale, Calif. earned his spot in the top-10 by adding 11 more keepers to his Day One 24. The heaviest five of each day have given him a total of 36-pounds.
“The past two days have gone absolutely perfect,” said Pierson. “A lot of times in a four-hour derby, you can get caught up in the reaction stuff; because you try to fish faster when you shouldn’t. Luckily, I’ve had that experience fishing a four-hour tournament, so I just went out fishin’ slow and today my big fish and my first fish was a largemouth. It was one of those days were everything went right.”
Although he has a laundry list of lures that his fish have fell to – an Ika, a dropshot, a jig and a jerkbait, he credits one item in his tackle box as the game changer.
“For slow baits where you can fish a smaller hook, it’s been the Spearpoint GP Finesse 2/0,” he said. “The 2/0 is a little bit heavier, especially with the wacky Senko and an O-ring. It helps it fall a little bit quicker, because the thicker diameter gives it a little more weight. That was a big key for me on the keeper count. Once you get ‘em hooked, you keep ‘em pinned.”
With the final day focused only on the heaviest five bass, as opposed to keeper count, Pierson wants to make a run for Day Three. The conditions may not allow that to happen. We will have to wait and see.
The BAM Super 60 Top-10 For Mohave:
TOTAL WEIGHT TOTAL KEEPERS
1 Bryant Smith 41.44 30
2 Randy Pierson 36.00 35
3 Dylan Maxon 40.16 15
4 Adam Deakin 34.46 33
5 Ty Manterola 39.98 24
6 Karl Okerman 33.85 29
7 Jason Crone 37.87 21
8 Aaron Britt 32.37 29
9 Christian Ostrander 37.28 25
10 Dan Frazier 34.33 24
Fans can follow the Bass Boat Technologies BAM Super 60 Pro Tour anglers live on TourneyX, watch the weigh-ins live at the BAM Trail website or join in-person at the weigh-ins each day.
Event Overview
- Competition days May 2nd, to May 4th
- Location: Lake Mohave, Katherine’s Landing
- Weigh-ins: Daily at 3:00 PM (Katherine’s Landing) – Open to the public
- Title sponsor: Bass Boat Technologies
- Presented by: Tackle Warehouse
- Top Ten compete the final day May 4th
The Mohave Super 60 features 66 anglers battling on the legendary bass waters of Lake Mohave. Each afternoon, weigh-ins at Katherine’s Landing will showcase the top catches of the day, bringing excitement as the leaderboard shifts. Fans and spectators are encouraged to attend and witness the desert’s trophy bass being brought to the scales.
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 pre-dawn boat launches, big weigh-ins, or interviewing top anglers, this event is a must for local sprots media.
For press credentials, interviews, or additional media support, contact:
Mark Lassagne | 925-787-3474 | mark@bassmag.com
Competition Schedule & Rules
The lake has been Off-Limits since March 31, 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
Angler Check-in: May 1, 4:30–5:30 PM – At Katherine’s Landing
Angler Meeting: March 26, 6:00 PM – A mandatory meeting at Katherine’s Landing will cover event rules, flight, and tournament details. Attendance is required.
Friday May 2nd and Saturday May 3rd 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
11th to 20th place receive their payout
After Saturday’s weigh-in, the Top 10 Pros will advance to Championship Sunday – Featuring BAM Super 60 Anglers competing for a $50,000 check.
- 3:00 PM: BAM Lake Mohave Super 60 Championship Weigh-In
- Crown your Stop #2 Super 60 champion
- Award the Bass Boat Technologies $500 contingency
- Top 10 Pros receive final payout
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About the BAM Tournament Trail
The Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM Trail) offers an elite platform for anglers while providing exceptional media exposure for sponsors. The BAM Trail receives extensive coverage across:
- Print & digital magazines – Featured in Bass Angler Magazine
- Web & social media – Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and more
- Podcasts & TV coverage – Exclusive content on Outdoor Action TV
BAM Tournament Series:
BAM Pro Tour – The West’s premier professional-level circuit
Pro-Am Series – Competitive fishing at the highest level
Scholastic Series – Supporting young anglers and future pros
Kayak Series – Expanding the competition to grassroots anglers
Proud Partners of BAM Tournament Trail:
- Bass Boat Technologies – Title Sponsor
- Tackle Warehouse
- Bass Cat Boats
- Boardman Chamber
- Chicken Ranch Casino
- Black Bear Diner
- StorQuest
- Ford Fairfield
- Power-Pole
- Mercury Outboards
- Bob’s Machine
- Sticky Graphics
- Jean Deleonardi Real Estate
- Valley Outdoors
- Fisherman’s Warehouse
Tourism Partners:
- Choose Redding
- Boardman Chamber
- City of Oakley
- Lake Almanor Chamber
- Feather River Tourism Association
- Lake Don Pedro
For more information, visit www.bamtrail.com.
Follow BAM Tournament Trail on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram for live updates!
Media or Advertising Inquiries: Contact Mark Lassagne for sponsorship, advertising, and media opportunities.
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