The annual Tournament of Champions is always a treat for the BBT anglers. The host fishery is kept secret until mid-season, and the location rotates from year to year for variety and fairness. It’s also an event with big money on the line, with a total prize of $20,000 going to the winners.
This is why the event is always something to look forward to. This year, it was on Lake Berryessa, and the fishing did not disappoint. Luke Lipanovich and Joe Mariani took the win with 48.56 lbs over two days of fishing.
A Great Event
Tournament Director Randy Pringle reported a nearly flawless event for the 105 teams that qualified for and fished this event. He said that everything went smoothly throughout.
“The tournament went phenomenal, the staff did a great job, and the anglers did a great job making everything go smoothly,” said Pringle. “Anglers were launching all over and coming to the takeoff in the morning, and it all went well. That was a concern for some for this event, but everything was very smooth.”
Pringle also reported changing weather conditions tested the anglers, and the winners had to adjust to rapidly different days. “We had rain one day, and it was rainy and gloomy all through the night after the first day of fishing,” he said. “Then, it was pretty and no wind the second day. The cream really rose to the top in this event, and the anglers who found success had to adjust to vastly different weather conditions.”
Impressive Weights for Top Teams
After weighing 25.59 lbs on the first day, the eventual winners, Lipanovich and Mariani, backed it up with another solid bag on the second day. Their 22.97 lbs was again the best bag of the day, and they cruised to a nearly six-pound win over second place and took home the top prize of $20,000.
“The lake fished very well for the entire field, and the anglers caught bass in a lot of different ways,” said Pringle. “The winners used LiveScope to catch all of their fish and did a great job with two impressive bags of fish.”
The second-place team of Forrest Brazelton and Brandon Yang overcame adversity to catch a two-day weight of 42.73 lbs to claim a $6,965 check. The tournament’s biggest bass was included in their total, a massive 10.64 lb largemouth caught on the first day.
“Their motor blew up, so they went outside the 5-mile per hour zone, dropped the trolling motor, and started fishing. That’s where they caught the 10-pounder and had just over 20-pounds total,” said Pringle. “The second day, they borrowed a boat and could go to their other areas. They came back with an even better bag, even though they had lost some big fish. They came in with over 22 pounds and finished second.”
Aside from the top two teams, several other anglers went home with checks for their finishes. Pringle said it was an excellent time for all, even those who failed to cash a check for their tournament finishes.
“Everybody went home with prizes in hand from the BBT sponsors,” he said. “It was a great event, and we are thankful for another great season and the support team behind us.”
Looking Ahead to 2025
The schedule for next season is already out and will include five divisions: Coastal, Delta/Wine, Northern, Central, and Mother Lode. BBT will also host specialty events like the Snag Proof Open, which is already slated for August 2nd and 3rd. The 2025 T.O.C. location is still to be announced, but the event will be on October 11th and 12th. All of the dates are now available on the website.
The first event of the year will be the Coastal Division’s Jan 18th event on Nacimiento, and there will be many more coming in February and March for all of the divisions. Anglers looking to fish multiple divisions should pay close attention to the schedules, as there are a few instances of Saturday and Sunday events on the same weekend on the same body of water.
“The schedule has been out for a few months, and we are looking forward to the 2025 season,” he said. “We’re all hopeful that prices will start to go down so we can all afford to get on the water more next year.”
The annual BBT T.O.C. was a great success. All of the anglers and Lake Berryessa showed out and made this annual event another resounding success. Next year, more fun and tournament action is planned, and the team aims to make it even better.
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