LEESBURG, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2025) – After a decorated 17-year career that includes a REDCREST victory, one of the few accomplishments missing from Bobby Lane ’s résumé was a national tour win in Florida. That changed Sunday as Lane delivered a stunning final-period rally to win the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI at the Harris Chain of Lakes, securing the $150,000 top prize.
The Lakeland, Florida, native trailed by more than 20 pounds midway through the Championship Round. But while competitors struggled against increasing winds, Lane capitalized on his Sunshine State expertise, stacking up six bass in an hour—including a 5-8 and a 4-9—to surge into contention. He claimed the lead for the first time 30 minutes into the final period, then sealed the win with a five-fish flurry totaling 16-10, finishing with 19 bass for 56-5.
“I’ve been close before,” Lane said. “I finished second here last time to Ott DeFoe, and to finally seal the deal on one in the home state – in a big, national tournament – means the world to me.”
Finding the Winning Pattern in Apopka
Pre-tournament buzz surrounded a recent fish kill on Lake Apopka, discouraging many anglers from fishing there. Lane nearly skipped the lake in practice, but a last-minute decision led him to discover hard-bottom areas holding staging bass near emergent reeds.
“I make maybe 15, 20 flips, and I have five bites in a row, and two of them were big ones,” Lane recalled. “And I’m like, oh boy.”
After an initial stop in Lake Harris on Day 1, Lane committed fully to Lake Apopka, which produced six of the Top 10 finishers. His key to success was locating fish staging on hard-bottom areas near shoreline reeds, likely drawn there by the eradication of grass cover.
“When you drop your Power-Poles, it sounds like you’re hitting rocks,” Lane explained. “With all the grass gone, those fish have nowhere else to go but to shore. They were using that hard bottom before moving to the reeds to spawn.”
Winning Technique: Flipping with Precision and Patience
Rod & Reel: Abu Garcia Fantasista X 7’6″ heavy flipping stick with an Abu Garcia Premier REVO reel Line: 50-pound-test Durabraid Rig: 5/0 Berkley Fusion19 Hook with a 5/16- or 3/8-ounce Epic Tungsten weight Bait: Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General (6-inch)
Slow, precise flipping was the only way to trigger bites. Lane meticulously dragged his bait along the bottom, flipping to every reed in his area.
“I live and breathe on that flipping stick. It usually gets me close sometimes. But to actually seal the deal with it in my hands—there’s nothing sweeter.”
Championship Round: Lane Overcomes the Wind
Lane’s initial game plan nearly cost him the title. Strong south winds forced him to start on the southern end of Apopka, where he landed an early 5-8 but struggled for over an hour.
With the gap widening between him and leaders Matt Becker and Mark Davis, Lane made the critical decision to return to his primary stretch on the north end, despite the wind. His boat positioning and patience allowed him to outfish the field while others struggled.
“The hardest task today was trying to keep that bait down where the fish live,” Lane said. “You had to position the boat right, drop your Power-Poles, and make perfect flips.”
As time ticked down, Lane’s patience paid off. With an hour left, the wind finally settled, allowing him to land a 5-10 and a 4-8 in quick succession, cementing his long-awaited Florida win.
Top 10 Pros – Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at Harris Chain
| Place | Angler | Hometown | Total Weight | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bobby Lane | Lakeland, Fla. | 19 bass, 56-5 | $150,000 |
| 2nd | Mark Davis | Mount Ida, Ark. | 14 bass, 38-13 | $45,000 |
| 3rd | Matt Becker | Ten Mile, Tenn. | 15 bass, 36-15 | $35,000 |
| 4th | Terry Scroggins | San Mateo, Fla. | 13 bass, 36-7 | $30,000 |
| 5th | Fletcher Shryock | Guntersville, Ala. | 11 bass, 27-15 | $25,000 |
| 6th | Jacob Wheeler | Harrison, Tenn. | 8 bass, 23-9 | $23,000 |
| 7th | Jacob Wall | New Hope, Ala. | 7 bass, 16-10 | $22,000 |
| 8th | James Elam | Tulsa, Okla. | 5 bass, 10-3 | $21,000 |
| 9th | Andy Morgan | Dayton, Tenn. | 4 bass, 7-6 | $20,500 |
| 10th | Keith Poche | Pike Road, Ala. | 1 bass, 2-2 | $20,000 |
Berkley Big Bass Award: Jacob Wheeler (7-1) – $1,000
Fishing Clash Angler of the Year Leader: Jacob Wall (New Hope, Ala.) – Leads Jacob Wheeler by 1 point
Tournament Notes & Broadcast Information
97 scorable bass caught on Championship Sunday, totaling 256 pounds, 5 ounces Hosted by: Discover Lake County Florida Total Purse: $650,000, with top payout of $150,000 Next Event: Bass Pro Tour Stage 3 at Lake Fork (March 27-30, 2025)
Watch the Action: Discovery Channel Premiere: Sept. 13 (7 AM ET) – Full Tournament Recap Championship Round Episode: Sept. 20 Re-airs on Outdoor Channel
For full event coverage, visit Majorleaguefishing.com
Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota.
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
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