By MLF Communications Staff
Joshua Weaver of Macon, Georgia brought a five-bass-limit to the scale on Friday weighing 26 pounds, 4 ounces to win the MLF Invittional at Lake Okeechobee. Weaver’s three-day total of 72-09 earned him his first major career win by a whopping 8-13 margin over 2nd-place Colby Schrumpf of Highland, Illinois, and the top prize of $115,000, including the $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Weaver will now also receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024.
The 2023 season marks Weaver’s seventh year on tour with MLF. The six-time championship qualifier said he had a dream years ago that he would get his first major win on Lake Okeechobee – a dream that finally became reality.
After ending Day 1 in 61st place with only 14-12, Weaver weighed in the largest limit of the event on Day 2 – five bass totaling 31-09 – to catapult into 2nd place. He brought another stout bag to the scales on Friday to seal the deal.
“This tournament has been the kind of event you dream about having,” said Weaver. “The first day I lost quite a few fish and was pretty bummed, but backing it up with over 30 pounds yesterday and another 26-pound bag today is just incredible. Okeechobee has been unbelievable to me this week.”
The final round started off with a bang, with Weaver catching more than 20 pounds within the first hour. But several hard-charging pros stayed in contention throughout the day, making it impossible for him to let off the gas.
“I knew I needed at least 24 pounds to have a shot at winning and I got pretty close to it this morning,” said Weaver. “But with Michael Neal right behind me, I knew I was nowhere near safe. I sweated it out all day and never really thought I had it in the bag until I got back here to the weigh-in and people began congratulating me.
“I kept with a similar game plan today, starting in the same area as the two days prior,” Weaver continued. “I got in there early this morning and things kicked off quick. I ran to my second spot mid-morning, where I’d caught a big bag on Day 2, but only caught 2-pounders. I pivoted back to my starting spot and caught a 3 1/2- and a 5-pounder, so I decided to just stay in there all day and slowly culled up.”
Weaver said he credits his win to the heavy 7’6” Favorite Fishing Hex Casting Rod and reel he was throwing all week.
“I spent most of the week winding a Z-Man ChatterBait with a Googan Baits Happy Trailer and a swim jig around anything that I thought might have a female bass on a bed,” said Weaver. “This lake is really something special to me because it fits how I like to fish – I’m a shallow-water grass fisherman. The last two times I’ve been here haven’t been so great, so I’m excited that we’ve righted those wrongs this week.
“It definitely hasn’t hit me yet,” Weaver went on to say. “You wait so long for a day like today, then when it happens, you’re just in a daze. I’ve wanted this for so long. This is the reason why we do what we do. For it to finally happen after seven seasons – finishing in 2nd place multiple times and a ton of Top 10s – to finally get it done is a relief and I’m already looking forward to the next tournament.”
Final Standings
1. Joshua Weaver -- 14-12 (5) -- 31-09 (5) -- 26-04 (5) -- 72-09 (15) -- $117,500
2. Colby Schrumpf -- 21-15 (5) -- 25-06 (5) -- 16-07 (5) -- 63-12 (15) -- $50,300
3. Brett Hite -- 23-03 (5) -- 18-07 (5) -- 21-07 (5) -- 63-01 (15) -- $20,000
4. Michael Neal -- 21-01 (5) -- 23-03 (5) -- 17-09 (5) -- 61-13 (15) -- $18,000
5. Jacopo Gallelli -- 26-11 (5) -- 11-09 (4) -- 23-09 (5) -- 61-13 (14) -- $17,000
6. Jonathan Dietz -- 21-03 (5) -- 21-07 (5) -- 15-08 (5) -- 58-02 (15) -- $16,000
7. Kyle Weisenburger -- 11-15 (5) -- 18-08 (5) -- 26-11 (5) -- 57-02 (15) -- $15,000
8. Michael Harlin -- 18-14 (5) -- 22-10 (5) -- 15-06 (5) -- 56-14 (15) -- $14,000
9. Paul Elias -- 11-12 (5) -- 25-01 (5) -- 19-11 (5) -- 56-08 (15) -- $13,200
10. Spike Stoker -- 12-07 (5) -- 21-01 (5) -- 22-06 (5) -- 55-14 (15) -- $12,000
11. David Walker -- 28-01 (5) -- 13-05 (5) -- 14-02 (5) -- 55-08 (15) -- $10,000
12. Jason Vance -- 25-09 (5) -- 16-05 (5) -- 13-08 (5) -- 55-06 (15) -- $10,000
13. Troy Stokes -- 10-03 (5) -- 24-12 (5) -- 20-04 (5) -- 55-03 (15) -- $10,000
14. Marshall Robinson -- 10-13 (5) -- 19-08 (5) -- 24-09 (5) -- 54-14 (15) -- $10,000
15. Ron Nelson -- 17-00 (5) -- 20-13 (5) -- 16-10 (5) -- 54-07 (15) -- $10,000
16. Marty Robinson -- 15-07 (5) -- 19-08 (5) -- 19-07 (5) -- 54-06 (15) -- $10,000
17. Brian Latimer -- 23-14 (5) -- 19-14 (5) -- 9-15 (5) -- 53-11 (15) -- $11,000
18. Matthew Stefan -- 15-14 (5) -- 19-11 (5) -- 16-06 (5) -- 51-15 (15) -- $10,000
19. Jacob Wheeler -- 12-07 (5) -- 20-00 (5) -- 19-02 (5) -- 51-09 (15) -- $10,000
20. Tai Au -- 25-04 (5) -- 15-00 (5) -- 10-14 (5) -- 51-02 (15) -- $10,000
21. Randy Howell -- 20-09 (5) -- 19-00 (5) -- 11-03 (5) -- 50-12 (15) -- $10,000
22. Rusty Salewske -- 16-11 (5) -- 23-07 (5) -- 10-08 (5) -- 50-10 (15) -- $10,000
23. Frank Kitchens III -- 12-15 (5) -- 17-09 (5) -- 20-00 (5) -- 50-08 (15) -- $10,000
24. Nick Hatfield -- 10-06 (5) -- 23-08 (5) -- 16-09 (5) -- 50-07 (15) -- $10,000
25. Kollin Crawford -- 16-09 (5) -- 13-13 (5) -- 18-07 (5) -- 48-13 (15) -- $10,000
26. Nick Lebrun -- 19-11 (5) -- 11-03 (5) -- 17-12 (5) -- 48-10 (15) -- $10,000
27. Tom Redington -- 21-11 (5) -- 19-00 (5) -- 7-11 (5) -- 48-06 (15) -- $10,000
28. Dakota Ebare -- 18-09 (5) -- 17-14 (5) -- 11-15 (5) -- 48-06 (15) -- $10,000
29. Tyler Stewart -- 18-07 (5) -- 12-06 (5) -- 17-03 (5) -- 48-00 (15) -- $10,000
30. Alex Davis -- 17-14 (5) -- 12-14 (5) -- 15-15 (5) -- 46-11 (15) -- $10,000
31. Cameron Mattison -- 15-02 (5) -- 19-00 (5) -- 12-07 (5) -- 46-09 (15) -- $8,000
32. Martin Villa -- 17-07 (5) -- 14-03 (5) -- 14-15 (5) -- 46-09 (15) -- $8,000
33. Joe Wieberg -- 20-13 (5) -- 14-08 (5) -- 10-13 (5) -- 46-02 (15) -- $8,000
34. Keith Carson -- 15-15 (5) -- 14-15 (5) -- 15-00 (5) -- 45-14 (15) -- $8,000
35. Jim Moynagh -- 18-15 (5) -- 13-08 (5) -- 13-05 (5) -- 45-12 (15) -- $8,000
36. Tom Monsoor -- 18-08 (5) -- 14-03 (5) -- 12-06 (5) -- 45-01 (15) -- $8,000
37. Jesse Millsaps -- 11-00 (5) -- 20-07 (5) -- 13-07 (5) -- 44-14 (15) -- $8,000
38. Grae Buck -- 18-05 (5) -- 12-11 (5) -- 12-10 (5) -- 43-10 (15) -- $8,000
39. Josh Butler -- 18-10 (5) -- 13-14 (5) -- 10-15 (5) -- 43-07 (15) -- $8,000
40. Justin Cooper -- 13-05 (5) -- 18-00 (5) -- 11-13 (5) -- 43-02 (15) -- $8,000
41. Eric Panzironi -- 16-13 (5) -- 13-10 (5) -- 11-14 (5) -- 42-05 (15) -- $8,000
42. William Fletcher -- 22-01 (5) -- 10-09 (5) -- 9-03 (5) -- 41-13 (15) -- $8,000
43. Braxton Setzer -- 14-10 (5) -- 16-14 (5) -- 10-00 (5) -- 41-08 (15) -- $8,000
44. John Voyles -- 16-02 (5) -- 18-02 (5) -- 6-11 (5) -- 40-15 (15) -- $8,000
45. Fred Roumbanis -- 18-00 (5) -- 13-06 (5) -- 8-07 (5) -- 39-13 (15) -- $8,000
46. Cody Petit -- 16-05 (4) -- 19-01 (5) -- 4-02 (2) -- 39-08 (11) -- $8,000
47. Thomas Wooten -- 16-10 (5) -- 14-11 (5) -- 8-03 (5) -- 39-08 (15) -- $8,000
48. Colby Miller -- 13-06 (5) -- 16-14 (5) -- 9-01 (5) -- 39-05 (15) -- $8,000
49. Richard Lowitzki -- 11-04 (5) -- 21-10 (5) -- 2-11 (1) -- 35-09 (11) -- $8,000
50. Kyle Hall -- 14-14 (5) -- 18-11 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 33-09 (10) -- $8,000