Nelson Leads Way Into Championship Round

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Photo: MLF/Phoenix Moore

Ron Nelson was the only angler to reach the 70-pound mark during the Knockout Round at Lake Guntersville.

By MLF Communications Staff

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The final 10 anglers who will battle for the title at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville have been set. After a Knockout Round that saw four anglers hold the top spot on ScoreTracker at various points in the second and third periods, Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich. ended the day atop the standings with 70 pounds, 14 ounces on 23 bass. Nelson edged Bobby Lane, the REDCREST 2022 champion, by 2-9.

Holding the lead wasn’t nearly as important as the battle to finish among the Top 9 and earn a spot in Sunday’s Championship Round. Nelson and the other eight anglers will join the Qualifying Round winner, Guntersville, Ala.'s Chris Lane, with $300,000 on the line for the angler who has the best day. Not only will weights zero overnight, but a significant storm system that’s forecast to bring 2-plus inches of rain could change the complexion of the fishery, so the race to claim the trophy should be anyone’s to win.

Between volatile weather, fluctuating water conditions and the typical springtime migration of bass to their spawning areas, a lot has changed since anglers first took to Guntersville for official practice a week ago. Nelson said he’s had to adapt his approach every day, both in terms of which baits he’s throwing and where.

“I’ve had to adjust every day of the tournament, every day of practice,” Nelson said. “There’s been no just go out and do the same thing every day. I went from catching them on a crankbait really, really good to not catching them at all on a crankbait to having to switch to a ChatterBait and having to switch to a jig – just everything has been different. And locations are different, too.”

Nelson cycled between a few different spots on Saturday morning, picking off a few fish here and there, before returning to an area where he’d caught a single 3-pounder the day prior. This time, he found it teeming with bass on spawning beds. Not only was he able to catch males off the beds, but he found some bigger females, too. On the day, Nelson boated five bass over 4 pounds, including a 5-14.

“I had a flurry of nice, big females and catching the pairs, catching the male and the female,” Nelson explained.

“Then I was like, okay, I can add up weight pretty quick to solidify my day and get a cushion. And then the day became fun because at that point, it was like, oh, I’ll just fish for big fish and have fun.”

Nelson found the day enjoyable in large part because he’s fishing in his comfort zone. The Michigan native has typically performed well on Tennessee River fisheries, which he attributes to his upbringing fishing small rivers and streams. He’s also one of the best in the world when bass are on beds – not just because of his ability to spot submerged beds but, he joked, because of his birthday.

“May 1 is my birthday, so I’m a spring baby,” Nelson said. “So, I guess it’s just my time of year. I just love spring.”

Nelson knows Sunday will necessitate more adjustments. If the forecast proves correct, it could make sight-fishing impossible. Once again, his plan is to “just fish the conditions.”

“A lot is going to change if we actually get severe weather like they’re talking about and the amount of rain they’re talking about,” he said. “Really, a ton is going to change.”

The winner of Angler of the Year titles on both the MLF Pro Circuit (2020) and Invitationals (2023), Nelson has enjoyed consistent success throughout his career. But he’s never won a tour-level event. To have his first national win come at a championship the caliber of REDCREST would be a dream.

“Anytime you fish a championship, it’s special,” Nelson said. “So, just to be here is special. To win it would be kind of a culmination of my career … You never want to get ahead of yourself, but it would be special.”

Zack Birge earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Saturday with a 6-pound, 6-ounce largemouth that he caught in Period 2.

The final 10 anglers will launch Sunday morning from Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Dr. in Guntersville, at 7:15 a.m.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. MLFNOW! is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

Knockout Round

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

1. Ron Nelson -- 70-14 (23) -- 5-14

2. Bobby Lane -- 68-06 (25) -- 5-14

3. Brent Ehrler -- 60-08 (21) -- 5-02

4. Zack Birge -- 51-04 (17) -- 6-06

5. Dustin Connell -- 51-01 (20) -- 3-13

6. David Dudley -- 50-07 (18) -- 4-06

7. Wesley Strader -- 50-06 (18) -- 4-03

8. Jake Lawrence -- 41-14 (15) -- 6-00

9. Paul Marks Jr. -- 40-13 (15) -- 4-04

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