PROSPERITY, S.C. (Jan. 20, 2025) – Boater Lucas Murphy of West Columbia, South Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 26 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Bass Fishing League (BFL) tournament on Lake Murray . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL South Carolina Division. For his victory, Murphy earned $5,886, including a $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus.
“We had a big front come through at 10 o’clock,” Murphy said. “I caught probably two of my fish before it and three of them after, but all pretty close to it. I caught most of them shallow on a lipless crankbait and a few out deep on a brush pile with a drop-shot.”
In the morning, when the wind was cooking, Murphy took advantage of the conditions with the lipless crank – a 1/2-ounce Strike King Red Eye Shad in a red craw pattern – fishing in 5 feet of water or less.
“I was just kind of chasing the wind on rocky banks,” he said. “Wherever the wind was hitting the bank, if it’s got rock on it you start fishing it. Two of the three big crankbait fish I caught off of places I never caught a fish off of in my life. I just fished it because it set up right.”
Post-front, the sun eventually came out, and that’s when Murphy adjusted to fishing brush piles in 25 to 30 feet of water with a 5-inch Strike King Filler Worm on a drop-shot. Altogether, he landed about a dozen keepers, he had to cover quite a bit of water to catch them. Murphy says the fish are really spread out in Lake Murray this season.
“I caught ’em all over the place,” he said. “I do fish the lake a lot, so I kind of just have some areas and some sweet spots. I started mid-lake and just kind of fished my way down to the dam. I feel like I’d make a move to an area and catch a big one and fish a little bit, then make a move to another area and catch another big one.
“I ran into a few of the great big ones,” he added. “I caught my big fish – a 7 1/4 – and it’s the biggest fish I ever caught in a tournament. I caught that one and was feeling pretty good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Lucas Murphy, West Columbia, S.C., five bass, 26-10, $5,886 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Andy Wicker, Pomaria, S.C., five bass, 23-7, $2,118
3rd: Wesley Sandifer, Chapin, S.C., five bass, 22-13, $1,129
4th: Michael Murphy, Gilbert, S.C., five bass, 22-8, $790
5th: Brandon Jeffcoat, Columbia, S.C., five bass, 20-0, $677
6th: Shane Lineberger, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 19-7, $621
7th: Derek Lehtonen, Woodruff, S.C., five bass, 19-3, $564
8th: Matt Messer, Warfield, Ky., five bass, 19-0, $508
9th: Andrew Blanton, Chesnee, S.C., five bass, 18-15, $451
10th: Will Alewine, Newberry, S.C., five bass, 18-6, $395
Andy Wicker of Pomaria, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Big Bass Boater award of $425. Zahreed McClinton of Columbia, South Carolina, won the co-angler division and $1,668 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Zahreed McClinton, Columbia, S.C., three bass, 13-7, $1,668
2nd: Kate Hough, Prosperity, S.C., three bass, 10-7, $834
3rd: Trent Carey, York Springs, Pa., three bass, 9-5, $558
4th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., three bass, 8-14, $389
5th: Greg Clayton, York, S.C., three bass, 8-9, $334
6th: Coeltryn Kirkland, Lexington, S.C., three bass, 8-6, $306
7th: Kodell Keels, Columbia, S.C., one bass, 8-2, $483
8th: Rodney Tapp, Inman, S.C., three bass, 7-14, $250
9th: Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., three bass, 7-13, $222
10th: Robert Adams, Greensboro, N.C., three bass, 7-8, $195
Kodell Keels of Columbia, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $205, catching a bass that weighed in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
In addition to the win, Lucas Murphy also now has the early lead in the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while co-angler winner Zahreed McClinton leads the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.
The next event for BFL South Carolina Division anglers will be held Feb. 1, at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/bfl-murray-102025.html
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