UNTSVILLE, Ala. (April 6, 2025) – For the third time, Alabama pro Dustin Connell has claimed the coveted title at the Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by MillerTech. With a gutsy move to fish the tailrace below Nickajack Dam, Connell hauled in 87 pounds, 11 ounces on 27 scorable bass, clinching a commanding win and a $300,000 prize.
Connell’s Championship Sunday performance set the single-day tournament high, despite a 65-minute weather delay. He held off a strong late push from Wesley Strader, who finished second with 79-6, to keep the REDCREST trophy in his home state.
“I was very, very, very shook up,” Connell said. “To win doing it my way, after the adversity I’ve faced lately—it just means more.”
Historic Third REDCREST Victory for Connell
This win makes Connell the first angler to win REDCREST three times, following victories at Lake Eufaula (2021) and Lay Lake (2024). He joins bass fishing legends Kevin VanDam and Rick Clunn as the only anglers with three or more major championship titles.
Connell’s strategic decision to fish 70 miles upriver, away from conventional Guntersville patterns, was bold. He left the largemouth-rich lower lake behind to focus on current-driven bass in the Nickajack tailrace.
“I had this in my mind literally six months ago,” Connell said. “I wanted to go up that river. Even though I felt crazy doing it, it was the right call.”
Rough Start, Big Finish
Connell struggled early, catching just two scorable bass on Day 1 and sitting 47th out of 50. But a late surge in the dam’s tailrace netted him over 20 pounds and the confidence to commit to the area.
Over the next two rounds, Connell climbed steadily, using a CrushCity Mooch Minnow and Freeloader to trigger bites in current seams without the use of forward-facing sonar.
He caught four bass in the final 13 minutes of Day 2 to advance to the Knockout Round, then capitalized on stormy conditions in the Championship Round to ignite a feeding frenzy.
Winning Baits and Gear
CrushCity Freeloader (Scrounger Head, 17-lb Seaguar Invizx)
Occasional use: CrushCity Janitor Worm, Rapala Mavrik Jerkbait
His average scorable bass on Sunday weighed 3.25 lbs, well above the field average of 2.72. Connell landed six fish over 4 pounds, including three over 5, providing the margin he needed to withstand Strader’s charge.
“This was the most stressful period of bass fishing I’ve had in my life,” Connell admitted. “I knew it was mine to lose.”
Emotional Win with Family Onsite
This win was particularly meaningful for Connell. After disappointing finishes at Harris Chain (55th) and Lake Murray (36th), and facing online criticism, Connell rebounded in a big way—with his wife and nearly one-year-old son present for the first time.
“To win this tournament with him and my family here, oh my gosh. I can’t believe it,” Connell said through tears.
REDCREST 2025 Top 10 Results
Dustin Connell, Clanton, AL – 87-11 (27 bass) – $300,000
Wesley Strader, Spring City, TN – 79-6 (29 bass) – $50,000
Zack Birge, Blanchard, OK – 44-12 (17 bass) – $40,000
Paul Marks Jr., Cumming, GA – 43-5 (15 bass) – $28,000
Jake Lawrence, Paris, TN – 38-10 (15 bass) – $25,000
Chris Lane, Guntersville, AL – 38-10 (16 bass) – $20,000
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, CA – 37-12 (14 bass) – $18,000
David Dudley, Lynchburg, VA – 33-8 (10 bass) – $16,000
Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, MI – 15-2 (6 bass) – $14,500
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, FL – 8-5 (3 bass) – $12,500
Big Bass Award: Brent Ehrler (5-6, Period 1) – $1,000
Total Scorable Bass on Sunday: 152
Total Weight: 427 lbs, 1 oz
Full Event Total: 1,614 bass | 4,456 lbs, 4 oz
REDCREST 2025 Broadcast Schedule
July 5 @ 7 a.m. ET – Event Premiere on Discovery
July 19 – Championship Round on Discovery
Re-airs: Outdoor Channel & Vice TV
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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