LAKEPORT, Calif. – Opportunity knocked. Austin Bonjour answered.
After taking a little more than a two-pound lead on the second day of the WON Bass Clear Lake Open, Bonjour, the 30-year-old pro from Templeton, Calif., knew that he had to perform on the final day. With warm and mild conditions remaining on the lake and waves of massive Clear Lake largemouth bass moving, he knew his lead was tenuous.
He knew that all he had to do was locate quality fish and get them in the boat, often easier said than done – especially in a major tournament. He also knew that he had one major advantage in that he was going to be the first boat to take off and the final angler to weigh in.
Walking on stage for the final time, Bonjour’s day two total of 59.25 was his official weight and he stood in 46th place until his five-fish limit hit the scales. He needed 19.15 pounds or more to claim the crown and the keys to the 2024 Ranger Z518 with a Mercury 150 ProXS outboard presented by Bass Pro Shops, plus $17,000 in cash.
His bag posted at 24.03 pounds, bringing his total winning weight to 83.28 pounds for the three-day affair. He was followed by Joe Mariani of Winters, Calif., who had been in contention each day. Mariani produced a 21.87-pound limit on Day 3 to bring his total to 78.39 pounds, good enough for second place.
Bonjour said that he spent his days in the northern area of the lake.
“I fished Adobe and the creeks from the State Park to Lakeport in the mornings and went to Nice and Lucerne in the afternoons,” he said. “That’s the timing that seemed to work out for me as the fish moved with the sun.”
He reported catching about 10 of the keepers he weighed on a pair of unnamed 9-inch glidebaits in trout and bone colors. He also mixed in a 1/16-ounce Garage Tech Baits FFS jighead and Z-Man Scented Jerk Shad (the deal) for three of his keepers while using forward-facing sonar, and he caught two bed fish on the final afternoon using a 1/2-ounce Garage Tech Baits Bed Jig in bluegill.
He reported catching 15 keepers on Day 1, but then had to work hard to fill his limits the next two days.
“I only caught five keepers on (each of) the final two days,” he said. “I just had to keep grinding and trust that the bites would come.”
"I finally got it done in a big event. I’ve had a few seconds and I’ve come close, but this is surreal and I can’t believe I’m sitting here with this trophy. I’m actually having a hard time putting my thoughts to words about it.”
Ish Monroe smashed a 32.54-pound final day limit to bring his total to 77.47 pounds to finish third overall, jumping from 12th place. Day-1 leader Nick Klein ended up fourth with 76.30 and Scott Helleson.
Mariani said he made the most of what he had found during practice.
“I caught my first day weight off of Windflower Point around the lava rock,” he said. “I caught an 8-pounder on a 6-inch Trash Fish (Lil’ Creeper’s Swimbait) and the rest on a wacky-rigged 5-inch green pumpkin/purple flake Senko. I sight-fished the rest of the event.”
Each of the pros and co-anglers who finished in the Top 5 earned in the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship for a chance to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic.
For complete final results, click here.
