Bass Angler Magazine

Josh Bertrand Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win 2022 WON Bass U.S. Open

Josh Bertrand Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win 2022 WON Bass U.S. Open
2022 WON Bass US Open Winner Josh Bertrand with Day Three AAA Mike Crothers

Laughlin, Nev. – October 12, 2022 – It’s very rare to have a bass fishing event in the deserts of Nevada and Arizona where wind is not a factor in the event. It is even more rare for a three-day event to have a complete lack of wind. Warm, calm conditions greeted the anglers who ventured out onto the waters of Lake Mohave each day for the 2022 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open has been presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin.

Calm slick conditions on a clear water fishery often means difficult conditions, but for the first two days, San Tan Valley, Ariz. pro Josh Bertrand seemingly made it look easy with consecutive limits that eclipsed 20 pounds. With a two-day total of 43.79 pounds, he held a little more than a four-pound lead over second place pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., who started the final day with 39.43 pounds. Three-time U.S. Open champion Clifford Pirch, from Payson, Ariz. stood in third with 39.36 pounds.

The trio, and those chasing them spent a long day on Lake Mohave, but in the end, it was San Tan Valley, Ariz. pro Josh Bertrand, the man who led since the opening bell who proved to put the pieces of the puzzle together the best and walked away with the title of 2022 WON Bass U.S. Open Champion. Bertrand added a final day limit of Lake Mohave smallmouth weighing 17.99 pounds to bring his three-day winning total to 61.78.

In claiming victory, Bertrand not only held the trophy, but also grabbed the keys to the Bass Cat Cougar FTD / Mercury ProXS 250 prize package worth $86,000 and the winner’s share of the purse worth another $75,000.

Bertrand outlasted Shuffield who posted his second consecutive limit eclipsing 20 pounds on the final day. His 20.75-pound limit brought his total to finish the tournament with 60.18 pounds, good enough for second place.

AAA angler Joe Ahrens of San Diego, Calif. began the final day in eighth place and fished with Fort Worth, Tex. pro Chris Zaldain. The pair weighed 18.83 pounds on the final day to bring his total weight to 46.40pounds to claim the title of WON Bass U.S. Open AAA Champion. His victory earned him the keys to a Honda Fortrax ATV valued at $5,600 and $9,000 cash.

Bertrand, who began his fishing career guiding and competing in tournaments in Arizona, said that this title was something he had wanted for years. “The U.S. Open has always been one of the most important and special tournaments I’ve fished in,” he said. “I’d always wanted to earn this trophy, but I didn’t know how much it meant to me until I was on the water today; it was a very stressful day, and I am so happy that it turned out this way.”

The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour angler, who has turned into one of the most consistent anglers in the business, said that he fished deep with a dropshot rig to put his weight together. “I fished the middle section of the lake on structure in 20 to 40 feet of water,” he said. “I would use my Garmin Livescope Plus to make sure the fish were there and cast my dropshot rig to them; they were relating heavily to school of baitfish.”

Berkley Max Scent Flat Worm are available at Tackle Warehouse

Bertrand revealed that each of his keepers came on a Berkley Flatworm in green pumpkin, with the late exception of two of his final fish that bit the same worm in a black color. “I used the Flatworm because I have so much confidence in how it appeals to smallmouth,” he said. “I threw it on my new Abu Garcia dropshot rod and reel spooled with 6-pound-test Trilene fluorocarbon, a 3/8-ounce dropshot rig with a Fusion 19 Dropshot Hook; that was my whole program.”

Bertrand, who won a Bassmaster Elite Series event on the St. Lawrence River in New York in 2018, said that the personal importance of this win is at a premium. “I am really fortunate to compete on a national level, and to have won there,” he said. “But this win ranks at the top of my list because of what it has meant to me over my career; the U.S. Open has been the event all of us in the West want to win, and I’ve dreamt of it my whole life; I’m absolutely in shock right now.”

2022 WON Bass US Open Runner Up Spencer Shuffield-and Day Three AAA Mike Kizis WON Bass Dan OSullivan
2022 WON Bass US Open Runner Up Spencer Shuffield and Day Three AAA Mike Kizis

Fishing his first U.S. Open, Shuffield found comfort in the fact that he was smallmouth fishing and put together a run at the win. “I really loved the way this lake fished, it is an amazing lake,” said Shuffield. “I used a dropshot rig and a Ned Rig to catch all of my fish this week fishing in the area they call “The Bowl.”

Shuffield used the same Berkley Flatworm that won the event, but also used a green pumpkin Z Man TRD to boat his fish. He threw them on a 7’4” Phenix M1 rod and Daiwa Ballistic reel spooled with 15-pound-test Hi-Viz Yellow Yozuri Super Braid and an 8-pound-test Yozuri T7 Fluorocarbon leader.”

The Arizona pro said that he let himself listen to the dock talk that said that 18 pounds a day would win the event, and it cost him. “I had 18 pounds early then laid off my fish trying to conserve the areas on the first day and weighed in two under four pounds,” he said. “I tried to make up for it, but that first day really cost me. But I have to give it Josh, he knew what he had to do and went out and did it; congratulations to him.”

Patrick Touey from Nipomo, Calif. caught 19 pounds today and moved into third place for the championship with 56.75 pounds. 18-year-old Zach VerBrugge brought 17.71 pounds to the scales at Katherine Landing to move his total weight to 53.47 pounds, landing the Lake Havasu, Ariz. pro in fourth place. Rounding out the top five was Zaldain, the Bassmaster Elite Series pro weighed a total of 51.61 pounds for the event.

Following the AAA winner Ahrens, in second place was Brian Tressen from Corona, Calif with 45.72 pounds. In third place was Mike Crothers of Chandler, Ariz. with 44.03 pounds. Jim Vretzos of El Dorado Hills, Calif. finished the event in fourth place with 43.54 pounds and Tyler Head of Eugene, Ore. Rounded out the top five with 41.71 pounds.

The 2022 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open has been presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin. Takeoffs and weigh-ins were held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

Look to wonbass.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media
platforms for event details and updates.

Complete final standings can be found below.

The 40 th Anniversary 2022 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Costa, Century Marine, Power-Pole, Western Outdoor News, Next Gen Lithium, Daiwa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Frabill, Plano, Seaguar, Chevron Techron Marine, Lowrance, DD26 Fishing, Phenix Rods, Gamakatsu, Livingston Lures, Roboworm, HydroHoist, Bridgford Foods, Last Chance Performance Marine, Anglers Marine, Katherine Landing, Sure Life, LifeSource Water Systems, HUK Fishing, Huntington Beach Honda, Anderson Ford, Tuff Bunk, Laughlin Tourism Commission, Visit Laughlin and Edgewater Hotel, Casino & Resort.

Final Standings:

PROAAA
1$75,000 + Fully Loaded Bass CatJosh Bertrand61,781$9,000 + Honda Fourtrax ATVJoe Ahrens46,40
2$16 500Spencer Shuffield60,182$5 750Brian Tressen45,72
3$10 000Patrick Touey56,753$4 750Mike Crothers44,03
4$9 000Zach VerBrugge53,474$3 350Jim Vretzos43,54
5$8 000Chris Zaldain51,615$2 500Tyler Head41,71
6$7 500Luke Clausen51,066$2 300Michael Gabrielson40,34
7$6 500Sean Coffey50,647$2 000Brian Kemp39,72
8$6 000Austin Bonjour48,888$1 750Phillip Dijulio39,47
9$5 500Jeremy McKay48,129$1 500Ty Crofts38,34
10$4 500Todd Kline46,4910$1 250Mike Gowey38,02
11$3 750Scott Hellesen45,8811$1 000R. Stephen
Gustafson
36,95
12$3 750Justin Kerr45,3412$1 000Mike Rasso36,71
13$3 750Conrad Demecs45,2513$1 000Gary Freeman36,32
14$3 500Clifford Pirch45,2414$1 000Mike Kizis35,65
15$3 500Kyle Grover43,0915$1 000Tom Creasy35,62
16$3 000Ben Byrd40,6216$900Eric Hammer35,59
17$3 000Joe Uribe, Jr.39,6817$900Charles Jett35,55
18$3 000Kalib Lund39,3518$900Max Howarth35,33
19$2 750Dan Frazier39,2319$900Dylan Watson34,98
20$2 750Cody Kurz38,7220$900Bo McNeely34,96
21$2 500Jonathan Schuyler38,6421$800Kyle Keegan34,93
22$2 500Mark Williams37,6122$800Pete Marino34,66
23$2 500Roy Hawk37,3023$800Brandon Diamond34,52
24$2 500Jon Bell37,1524$800Jeff Stuart34,46
25$2 500Brett Leber37,0525$800Junior Mora33,64
26$2 250Kyle Richins36,9926$750Joe Uribe, Sr.33,45
27$2 250Douglas Jones36,9727$750Michael Reynolds33,14
28$2 250Byron Velvick36,6728$750Anthony Stanfa32,99
29$2 250Marvin Finley36,2429$750Andrew Packard32,97
30$2 250Bryan Grier36,1430$750Nick Lara32,96
31$2 000Mike Bird36,1031$600Makoto Otani32,72
32$2 000Michael Phua35,8632$600Dave Phillips32,66
33$2 000Ken Whalen35,6933$600Kurt Hodges32,25
34$2 000Tim Klinger35,6234$600Noah Sanford31,58
35$1 600Max Hernandez35,5135$600Joseph Riordan30,87
36$1 600Mike Steckel35,3736$600Dean Yamagata30,85
37$1 600Billy Hines34,8437$600Brian Reaves30,65
38$1 600Mark Poe34,8238$600Richard Johnson30,48
OPTIONS
BB day 1 1st$1 000Brad Szarkowski5,73$1 000Todd Tobiasson5,07
BB day 1 2nd$1 000Clayton Meyer5,52$1 000Brian Avila4,97
BB day 1 3rd$1 000Patrick Touey5,36$1 000Jonathan Green4,86
BB day 1 4th$1 000Kevin Hugo5,35$1 000Jeff Giffen4,64
BB day 1 5th$1 000John Morrow5,19$1 000Tyler Head4,48
BB day 2 1st$1 000Anthony Salazar4,97$1 000Gary Wasson5,17
BB day 2 2nd$1 000Mike Bird4,86$1 000Ty Crofts5,14
BB day 2 3rd$1 000Robert Morales4,73$1 000Roger Nelson4,92
BB day 2 4th$1 000Josh Bertrand4,71$1 000Michael Reynolds4,81
BB day 2 5th$1 000Mark Poe4,67$1 000Nick Lara4,76
BB day 3 1st$1 000Kazuki Kodama5,47$1 000Darren Wilson6,20
BB day 3 2nd$1 000Jeremy McKay5,30$1 000Phillip Dijulio5,16
BB day 3 3rd$1 000Kyle Grover5,24$1 000Noah Sanford5,13
BB day 3 4th$1 000Gunnar Stanton5,05$1 000Vincent Alcantara4,89
BB day 4 5th$1 000Bryan Grier4,94$1 000Steve W. Clark4,77
TOTAL BIG BASS$15 000$15 000
BIG STRINGER
BS day 1$2 000Josh Bertrand23,45$2 000Kyle Keegan23,45
BS day 2$2 000Spencer Shuffield20,73$2 000Brian Tressen20,73
BS day 3$2 000Spencer Shuffield20,75$2 000Mike Kizis20,75
TOTAL BIG STRINGER$6 000$6 000
BEAT DARIUS$500 Huk CardLouis Ulrich
NextGen 1st Out of the Money
John Basmadjian
39John Basmadjian34,5839Ray Kawabata30,12
40Samuel Collins34,5140Zach Gines29,83
41Clayton Meyer34,4741Robert Brondyke29,81
42John Fuqua34,0742Jonathan Green29,61
43Paul Hodges33,9243Kevin A. Smith29,58
44Brandon Morton33,944Sonny Yee29,51
45Gunnar Stanton33,7745Darren Wilson29,50
45Johnny Johnson33,7746William McAninch29,39
47Bill Brown32,7647Colton
Underwood-Garside
29,15
48Kevin Wiggins32,5348Steve W. Clark28,80
49Dennis Kolender32,5149Bryan Ledford28,51
50Jeff Baird31,6150Clif Gallagher28,50
51Chris Patek30,8851James Pena28,24
52Dylan Maxon30,8552Douglas Bullard28,18
53Jason Reyes30,1553Adam Arp-Romero28,14
54Mike Williams29,7454Melanie McBride28,13
55John Martinez29,5555Tom Kruse27,99
56Kevin Johnson29,356Tony Witt27,88
57Chris Costello29,1457Ethan Hammer27,57
58Micah Jones29,0658Brian Avila27,54
59Ricky Shabazz28,2359Lyle Valador27,41
60Marty Lawrence27,9660Kenneth Murata27,09
61Levi Samz27,7261Michael Nugent26,82
62Jerry Ballesteros27,662Alf Penland26,72
63Chris Kinley26,963Rick Correa26,72
64Kevin Hugo26,6364Patrick S. Donoho26,59
65Steve Lund26,1765Gary Wasson26,52
66Mike Folkestad25,8966Stephen Byrum26,36
67James Weaver25,8267Nathan Foreman26,04
68Phillip Emery25,5868Daymond Allen26,01
69Tom Kilduff25,5569Mick Karshner25,95
70Louis Fernandes25,3570Matthew Matus25,78
71Joe Cole25,1271Ken Hromada25,63
72Sunny Hawk24,9872Chris Ricci25,59
73Jim Herrero24,8473Matt Thomas25,07
74Jordan Collom24,4774Dylan Moore25,03
75Christopher Allen24,3375John Younce25,02
76Steve Molinari23,9176Rick Mason24,83
77Daylon Smith23,977John Bitting24,81
78Anthony Salazar23,8578DJ Virzuela24,57
79Carl Limbrick, Jr.23,7879David Hutto24,44
80John Morrow23,6880Todd Tobiasson24,34
81Dan Davis23,4781David Stanberry24,33
82Tony Lain22,8582William Penrod24,27
83Travis Pitt22,7683Randy Ricafort24,24
84Jamie Shaw22,7584Tim Demecs24,22
84Rick Clunn22,7585Ron Goldshine23,98
86Rusty Salewske22,4386David Childress23,92
87Aaron Bartelt22,487Fisher Griffith23,90
88Adam Cacal22,0388Brandon Smith23,74
89Mike Luiere21,9789Tom Warren23,68
90Matt Frazier21,7890David Zrebiec23,58
91Daniel Uptain21,4491Bridger Richins23,45
92Justin Patti21,2992Trait Zaldain23,43
93Tyler Ivie21,1693Steve Larsen23,41
94Kevin Finley21,0394Bryan Davis23,37
95Eddie Rodriguez20,7895Zack Willis23,37
96Paul Bailey20,6696Nathan Hill23,36
97Kazuki Kodama20,6497Fred Buelna23,35
98Robert Morales20,4598Rick Moore23,12
99Kevin Martin20,2999Chuck Turner23,01
100John Gayo19,74100Darin Folkestad22,81
101Andrew Napoleon19,68101Craig Duvall22,61
102Mark Rauenzahn19,57102Creston Carroll22,61
103Jeff Rutt19,52103Geoff Pierce22,60
104Ray Arbesu19,42104Joseph Weber21,90
105Ron Hammett19,21105Shawn Carnahan21,82
106Tom Leedom19,19106Kevin Burgess21,73
107Allen Bratton19,04107David Thies21,69
108Wayne St. John18,93108Josh Buller21,29
109Scooter Griffith18,82109Chris Harvey21,26
110Benjamin Green18,65110Jonathan Jackson21,19
111Tom Ormsby18,19111Kaden Argyle21,16
112Patrick Whitaker17,98112Vincent Alcantara21,10
113Mike Bartley17,77113Anthony Romano21,10
114Lyle Dalby17,68114Gary Volpe21,08
115CJ Hinkle17,62115Todd Belzner21,04
116Matthew Luna17,53116Kelly Burns20,77
117Robert Ostercamp17,41117Hayden Metz20,59
118Travis Jewell17,4118Kenny Johnson20,59
119Corey Williams17,06119Jay Corbett20,41
120Lowell Mickelson16,9120Mike Dailey20,37
120Jeff Hudson16,9121James Scott20,36
122Jiggs Benn16,83122Robbie Espinosa20,33
123Frankie Mueller16,64123Norman Uptain20,19
124Todd Holverson16,48124Joel Chin19,77
125Robert Lutes16,29125Jordan Werner19,73
126Bill O’Shinn16,23126Geoff Peterson19,30
127Donnie Scroggins16,21127Gerald Kimzey19,23
128Shane Noel16,16128Gerred Curwick18,97
129Louis Ulrich16,01129Colin Harrell18,76
130Darius Arberry15,9130Ray Gauerke18,71
131Jimmy Reese15,55131Michael Grisham18,40
132Garrett Howard15,54132Mark Chadeayne18,40
133David Valdivia15,38133Blake Rose18,23
134Cody Steckel15,21134Tim Domingues18,18
135Ryan Yamagata15,16135Greg Stevens18,11
136Andy Manahl15,1136Kevin Holmgreen18,07
137Chip Gilbert15,09137Thor Dusenberry18,01
138Cameron Karber15,03138Andrew Jayne17,98
139Shawn Herring15,02139Chris Thatcher17,77
140Allen Clark14,85140Mark J. White17,62
141Chris Nickerson14,84141Lonnie Foster17,50
142Matt Shura14,61142Chris Beverly17,26
143Rob Sanford14,36143Jeff Giffen17,18
144Gil Valadez14,33144Joe Ramos17,11
145Robert Sedillo, Jr.14,29145Wade Goodwin17,01
146Shawn Cooley13,58146Logan Walker16,78
147Russ Barger13,53147Tim Roden16,72
148Greg Garcia13,41148J.D. Madden16,29
149Austin Gutzwiller13,33149Roger Nelson16,18
150Shane Spinning13,2150Darin Guglielmo15,98
151Dick Watson13,14151Shawn Byrne15,96
152Jason Bryan13,06152Brian P. Day15,93
153Brian Nunn12,75153Kirk Beardsley15,85
154Dung Van Vu12,7154Steven Cook15,13
155Jesse A. Marquez12,68155Scott Robertson15,07
156Brad Szarkowski11,98156Bill Eastes14,88
157James Hansen11,77157Anthony Souza14,77
158Ayaaz Ismail11,57158Rick Cofield14,73
159Scott Davis11,31159Trevor Love14,68
160Travis Darrough11,17160Mark Shelden14,68
161Jeremy Mann11,04161Joey Aliberto14,09
162Jim Hawkes10,88162Joe Leonard13,98
163Rodney Reed10,7163Jeremie Wraight13,41
164Rusty Brown10,69164Steve Rice13,37
165Brent Becker10,34165David Meza12,85
166Steven Bowlin10,27166Ellison Hubbard12,85
167Mike Huseman10,19167William Hill Sr12,76
168Tom White Jr.9,27168Melvin Cromwell12,64
169Mag Gimbel8,88169Stacy Teeters12,22
170Jesse Halstead8,67170Ron Smith12,19
171Joshua Glenn8,62171Steve Baker11,73
172Dan Merchant8,42172David Shearrer11,66
173Victor Azevedo8,27173Bret Felter11,04
174David Gliebe7,8174Mike Hawkins10,03
175Michael Kuzara7,75175Ralph Wells9,81
176Tony Capparelli7,31176Larry Ballesteros9,72
177Marco Fenelli7,24177Jamie Johnson9,61
178David Kemper6,81178Rick Melead9,23
179Josh Albee6,36179Rod Livermore8,60
180Zachary Elrite6,23180John D. Helm8,00
181Jeffery Klicka5,92181Len Scinto7,98
182Sheldon Johnson5,84182Kevin McBean7,65
183Greg Halliman5,59183Adam Glasscock7,49
184Mike Menne4,85184Adam Gragg7,19
185Keith Newby4,49185Scott Holman5,59
186Hermie Romero3,89186Brayden Weaver5,30
187Kevin Duncan2,52187Willie Waller4,81
188Shannon Perkins2,33188Wayne Larsen3,44
189Melvin Williams0189David King2,33
author avatar
Andrea Marini

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