Chad Morgenthaler erased nearly a 6-pound deficit today by catching a 20-12 sack to win the Bassmaster Classic Wild Card at Lake Okeechobee.
The Illinois pro finished the 3-day event with 63-13, beating Jesse Tacoronte by more than 4 pounds. Shaye Baker, who led after each of the first 2 days, slipped to 3rd.
The win, Morgenthaler's first in a B.A.S.S. tournament, earned him the 56th and final berth in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Guntersville.
Morgenthaler stuck with a flipping, pitching and punching pattern throughout the event to catch the winning fish.
“The key for me was that most guys were abandoning the vegetation that had been sprayed and was dying,” Morgenthaler said. “I stuck with it a little longer and found out that the fish I found in practice were still there. Catching them wasn’t easy, but they were there.”
Here's how the Top 12 finished up:
1. Chad Morgenthaler: 63-13
2. Jesse Tacoronte: 59-11
3. Shaye Baker: 59-08
4. Russ Lane: 59-02
5. Keith Poche: 56-07
6. Jeff Kriet: 55-05
7. Derek Remitz: 53-05
8. Gary Clouse: 51-04
9. Greg Hackney: 51-03
10. Arnie Lane: 46-02
11. Drew Benton: 44-08
12. Cliff Prince: 44-00
