Chapman Keeps Lead All Day, Advances To Finals

By MLF Communications Staff

Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kansas, who led Group A after the first day of competition – held his lead throughout the entire day Sunday, catching nine bass totaling 20-08 to win the two-day Qualifying Round at the Lake Travis MLF Bass Pro Tour event Texas. Chapman’s two-day total of 30 bass weighing 67 pounds even earned him the win by an 11-03 margin and now advances him directly into the Championship Round of competition, set for Wednesday.

Mark Rose caught a two-day total of 23 bass weighing 55-13 to remain in 2nd place. Mark Daniels Jr. boated a two-day total of 22 bass weighing 40-01 to end the round in 3rd place.

After starting the day in 13th place, David Dudley had the most weight on the day Sunday, weighing 11 bass totaling 23-15 to vault into 4th place with a two-day total of 19 bass for 39-10. Rounding out the Top 5 is Casey Ashley, who caught a two-day total of 20 bass weighing 38-10.

The Top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off day, while the 40 anglers in Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition on Monday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the Top 8, will take place on Tuesday. Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Chapman, Monday’s Group B winner and the Top 8 anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

“I came into this tournament not really knowing what to expect. I thought I might have a good finish, but little did I know that I’d be leading after the first two days,” Chapman said. “That just shows you that when you stick to your strengths and fish what you’re confident in, it can pay off.”

Chapman pretty much threw the bass fishing rule book out the window and has gone against the grain over the first two days of the event. Despite Lake Travis being a crystal-clear, desert-type impoundment, Chapman has gone to the lower end of the lake with a vibrating jig and had massive success.

“I’d like to think what I’m doing is a little bit off the wall down here in this clearer water, so hopefully it’s something on Championship day that I can have to myself and go out there and win this deal,” Chapman said.

Chapman said that all of his fish Sunday came on an unnamed 1/2-ounce or 3/8- ounce bladed jig. He threw the bladed jigs on a 7-foot, 6-inch KastKing Speed Demon Pro rod with a KastKing Bassinator Elite reel with an 8:1 gear ratio. For the 1/2-ounce bladed jig he used 20-pound Gamma fluorocarbon line, and for the 3/8-ounce bait he used the same line but in 16-pound test.

“I typically throw a bladed jig on a 7-foot, 3-inch KastKing bladed jig rod, but this Speed Demon pro is a 7-foot, 6-inch swimbait rod with basically the same tip, but 3 inches longer. I’m making these really long casts in the clear water, so the longer rod helps. Plus, I’m able to hold my rod really high when I have to get up there really shallow.

“I couldn’t be more excited to win the round,” Chapman went on to say. “I’ve just fished what I’m confident in and so far, it’s paid off. I’m really looking forward to competing in the Championship Round.”

Boyd Duckett won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 5-14 largemouth caught on a dropshot rig during Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

Anglers take off at 6:30 a.m. CT each day of competition from Mansfield Dam Park, located at 4370 Mansfield Dam Park Road in Austin. The takeout will also be held at the park daily beginning at 3:15 p.m.

MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney breaks down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. CT. MLF NOW! will be live-streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Group A – Qualifying Round Day 2

(Figure at far right indicates weight of angler's heaviest fish for the round)

1. Brent Chapman -- 46-08 (21) -- 20-08 (9) -- 67-00 (30) -- 3-14

2. Mark Rose -- 40-12 (16) -- 15-01 (7) -- 55-13 (23) -- 4-07

3. Mark Daniels Jr. -- 21-14 (13) -- 18-03 (9) -- 40-01 (22) -- 3-02

4. David Dudley -- 15-11 (8) -- 23-15 (11) -- 39-10 (19) -- 3-15

5. Casey Ashley -- 23-10 (13) -- 15-00 (7) -- 38-10 (20) -- 4-10

6. Chris Lane -- 21-11 (11) -- 14-11 (7) -- 36-06 (18) -- 3-06

7. Brent Ehrler -- 22-08 (11) -- 13-00 (8) -- 35-08 (19) -- 4-06

8. Bobby Lane -- 12-01 (7) -- 21-11 (11) -- 33-12 (18) -- 2-13

9. John Cox -- 20-10 (10) -- 12-06 (6) -- 33-00 (16) -- 3-05

10. Alton Jones Jr. -- 26-10 (9) -- 6-00 (3) -- 32-10 (12) -- 6-14

11. Takahiro Omori -- 22-00 (9) -- 10-01 (5) -- 32-01 (14) -- 4-13

12. Justin Lucas -- 19-09 (9) -- 11-13 (5) -- 31-06 (14) -- 4-00

13. Keith Poche -- 13-13 (8) -- 17-01 (10) -- 30-14 (18) -- 2-03

14. James Watson -- 15-01 (7) -- 13-09 (6) -- 28-10 (13) -- 4-08

15. Cody Meyer -- 9-12 (5) -- 18-11 (7) -- 28-07 (12) -- 5-01

16. Gerald Spohrer -- 21-06 (9) -- 6-10 (2) -- 28-00 (11) -- 4-01

17. Miles Burghoff -- 5-11 (3) -- 18-10 (9) -- 24-05 (12) -- 2-13

18. Tommy Biffle -- 14-05 (4) -- 9-13 (4) -- 24-02 (8) -- 4-11

19. Stephen Browning -- 6-00 (3) -- 17-10 (8) -- 23-10 (11) -- 4-05

20. Russ Lane -- 14-06 (5) -- 9-01 (5) -- 23-07 (10) -- 7-12

The following anglers did not make the cut and will not advance to the Knockout Round.

21. Brandon Coulter -- 11-07 (5) -- 11-10 (5) -- 23-01 (10) -- 3-10

22. Todd Faircloth -- 15-15 (7) -- 7-02 (3) -- 23-01 (10) -- 3-06

23. Greg Vinson -- 8-08 (3) -- 13-12 (5) -- 22-04 (8) -- 3-06

24. Josh Bertrand -- 6-05 (3) -- 15-07 (7) -- 21-12 (10) -- 5-01

25. Jeff Sprague -- 3-02 (2) -- 18-04 (8) -- 21-06 (10) -- 3-07

26. Jordan Lee -- 4-13 (3) -- 16-01 (7) -- 20-14 (10) -- 3-13

27. Skeet Reese -- 11-15 (5) -- 8-12 (4) -- 20-11 (9) -- 3-15

28. James Elam -- 7-15 (3) -- 10-12 (5) -- 18-11 (8) -- 4-15

29. Randy Howell -- 4-09 (3) -- 12-07 (6) -- 17-00 (9) -- 2-13

30. Shin Fukae -- 9-01 (4) -- 7-14 (4) -- 16-15 (8) -- 2-15

31. Jeff Kriet -- 6-02 (3) -- 7-14 (4) -- 14-00 (7) -- 3-03

32. Mark Davis -- 1-09 (1) -- 11-14 (5) -- 13-07 (6) -- 3-10

33. John Murray -- 3-15 (2) -- 9-06 (5) -- 13-05 (7) -- 2-03

34. Boyd Duckett -- 5-07 (2) -- 7-12 (2) -- 13-03 (4) -- 5-14

35. Jim Neece Jr -- 7-09 (4) -- 3-09 (2) -- 11-02 (6) -- 2-02

36. Randall Tharp -- 6-15 (4) -- 3-02 (1) -- 10-01 (5) -- 3-02

37. Timmy Horton -- 5-00 (2) -- 3-01 (2) -- 8-01 (4) -- 3-01

38. Britt Myers -- 3-02 (2) -- 4-10 (3) -- 7-12 (5) -- 1-10

39. Terry Scroggins -- 7-02 (4) -- 0-00 (0) -- 7-02 (4) -- 2-01

40. Matt Lee -- 2-09 (1) -- 3-14 (2) -- 6-07 (3) -- 2-09