Stephen Browning caught 17 scorable bass weighing 44 pounds, 5 ounces to top the Championship Round and win the 2022 Patriot Cup in Dallas, Texas, which premiered Saturday on the Outdoor Channel and today on the MyOutdoorTV app. The victory pushed Browning’s career earnings to more than $1.6 million.
The event was shot over six days in November in the Dallas area and featured 24 MLF pro anglers visiting the Knoxville area to compete on either Lewisville Lake, Eagle Mountain Lake or Lavon Lake on each day of competition. The locations were unknown to the anglers – they did not learn where they were competing until they arrived to the launch ramp each morning of competition.
Browning dominated the six-day event, winning his Elimination Round, Sudden Death Round and Championship Round of competition.
“Woo wee, that was fun!” exclaimed an excited Browning in his postgame interview with MLF analyst Marty Stone. “Look at these goosebumps on my arm – that’s how much this means to me. It was a battle, and I knew it was going to be. I just kept thinking to myself – don’t get off your gameplan. Fish your strengths, fish slow, fish thorough, make multiple casts and just let them come to you instead of trying to push it. It worked out perfect.”
Browning dialed into a pattern targeting the standing timber, which was plentiful in the Championship Round on Lavon Lake.
“I did all of my work on a 3/8-ounce bladed jig with a straight-tail trailer on it,” Browning said. “Anytime I’ve got that bait in my hand I’ve got so much confidence. The biggest thing is I was fishing in super-shallow water.”
Here are the totals for the eight anglers who made the Championship Round:
1. Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 17 bass, 44-05
2. Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 14 bass, 36-01
3. Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 10 bass, 23-07
4. James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 11 bass, 22-00
5. Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 12 bass, 20-04
6. John Cox, DeBary, Fla., seven bass, 14-00
7. Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., four bass, 9-15
8. Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., five bass, 8-13
Cox caught the Championship Round Berkley Big Bass – a 4-15 largemouth that bit a Berkley Frittside crankbait in Period 3.
