Jared Lintner Wins MLF Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 29, 2024) – Pro angler Jared Lintner of Covington, Georgia, emerged victorious in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake of the Ozarks, clinching the top spot with a consistent three-day performance. Lintner brought a five-bass limit to the scales on the final day, weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces, bringing his total to 51 pounds, 8 ounces. His impressive performance earned him a payout of $38,289, as he topped runner-up Dennis Berhorst of Holts Summit, Missouri, by a margin of 3 pounds, 14 ounces.

Berhorst, who finished second with a three-day total of 47 pounds, 10 ounces, took home $15,837. This victory marked Lintner’s first Toyota Series win, a significant achievement in his professional bass fishing career. The tournament was hosted as the Plains Division season finale and was presented by Suzuki Marine.

Tackling an Inconsistent Fall Bite: Lintner’s Winning Strategy

Fall fishing on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks is notorious for its unpredictability, with bites being inconsistent and often challenging. Successful anglers in this setting must navigate difficult conditions, where the lake’s vast array of docks frequently plays a decisive role. As the tournament progressed, three key factors stood out: a tough, inconsistent bite, dock patterns playing a crucial role, and the necessity for anglers to avoid any costly one-day missteps.

Lintner, a seasoned pro, embraced these challenges head-on. His strategy revolved around running a wide-open, fast-paced “hit and run” dock fishing pattern, allowing him to maximize his coverage of the water. Over the three days, he targeted 40 to 50 docks daily, focusing on those that fit specific criteria: isolated docks located near main lake points. This approach helped him consistently catch better-than-average fish in a tournament characterized by tough conditions.

“We moved out here to be closer to lakes like these,” Lintner said as he accepted his trophy. Referring to his move from California to Georgia two years ago, Lintner highlighted how the move had expanded his fishing opportunities. “Living where we do now, I can see a tournament like this on the schedule and go, ‘Oh, I think I’ll fish that.’ I like fishing all of these Ozarks lakes, but I couldn’t really jump into tournaments like this living in California.”

Lintner’s Consistency Was Key

Throughout the three-day event, Lintner maintained consistent performance levels, something that proved pivotal in securing the win. On Day 1, he brought in a bag weighing 16 pounds, 3 ounces, positioning him in third place. He followed up this solid start with an even better haul of 19 pounds, 6 ounces on Day 2, which kept him among the leaders. On the final day, he closed out the tournament with another strong showing, weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces, enough to secure the win.

In contrast, other competitors struggled to maintain consistent results. Dennis Berhorst, who finished second, had a standout 19-pound, 4-ounce bag on Day 3, the second-largest of the tournament. However, his Day 1 haul of 12-3 proved costly in the overall standings. Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri, who finished third with 47 pounds, 8 ounces, also had similar ups and downs, weighing 17-15 on Day 1, 16-15 on Day 2, but dropping to 12-15 on the final day.

“The Milkman” Approach: Lintner’s Dock Strategy

Known as “The Milkman” for his earlier career as a dairy-delivery driver in Arroyo Grande, California, Lintner lived up to his nickname in this tournament, keeping his motor and trolling motor working hard for three consecutive days. His relentless approach involved running docks non-stop, searching for those docks where he believed bigger fish would be hiding.

“I covered a ton of water every day, looking for very specific docks,” Lintner explained. “I wanted docks that were close to a main lake point and were somewhat isolated. If there were a bunch of docks grouped together, that wasn’t the deal for me. I was looking for specific areas where there was maybe one or two docks in a quarter-mile stretch. And the bigger the dock, the better.”

This methodical search for isolated docks yielded impressive results, as Lintner’s dock attack netted him 16-3 on Day 1, thanks largely to two specific jigs:

• 5/16-ounce ARK Wes Logan Swim Jig (blue magic color) paired with a white Zoom Z Craw trailer
• 1/2-ounce ARK Randall Tharp Flipping Jig (old-school brown)

Lintner’s approach paid off again on Day 2, when he adapted to cloudier conditions by switching to a 1/2-ounce Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer (white/gold blade) paired with a white Yamamoto Zako trailer, alongside the same swim jig.

Lintner’s Flexibility and Adaptation

The secret to Lintner’s success lay in his adaptability and his willingness to cover new water each day. “Eighty percent of the water I ran every day was brand new,” Lintner said. Each evening, he scoured his Garmin EchoMAP Ultra 2 for more isolated docks to add to his growing collection of waypoints, helping him stay fresh and avoid overfishing any one area.

Lintner noted that although he was catching around 50 fish a day, only a small percentage were keepers, with five to seven keepers per day. “There wasn’t really any reason why a 3 1/2- or 4-pounder would show up—I couldn’t replicate it. I had to just keep fishing as many docks as I could.”

On the final day, Lintner returned to the ChatterBait and swim jig for most of his fish, though his biggest came on the flipping jig.

Top 10 Pro Anglers at Lake of the Ozarks

1. Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 15 bass, 51-8, $38,289
2. Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., 15 bass, 47-10, $15,837
3. Andy Newcomb, Camdenton, Mo., 15 bass, 47-8, $11,787
4. Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 14 bass, 43-12, $9,822
5. Casey Scanlon, Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 43-10, $8,615
6. Chris Digino, Dallas, Texas, 15 bass, 42-11, $7,658
7. Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 15 bass, 42-10, $6,701
8. Corbin Bailey, Camdenton, Mo., 14 bass, 42-6, $5,743
9. Jason Moppin, Cross Timbers, Mo., 14 bass, 39-12, $4,786
10. Lawson Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., 15 bass, 39-6, $3,829

Co-Angler Division: Mason Chambers Claims Victory

Mason Chambers of Galena, Missouri, won the Strike King Co-Angler Division, with a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 3 ounces. His win earned him a prize package worth $33,500, including a Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

Berkley Big Bass and Additional Awards

Several additional awards were distributed during the event:

Berkley Big Bass (Pro Division):

• • Thursday: Brock Reinkemeyer and Jason Sandidge tied for the award, each with a 6-pound, 2-ounce largemouth bass.
  • Friday: Aaron Johnson earned the award with a 6-pound, 1-ounce largemouth bass.

Berkley Big Bass (Co-Angler Division):

• • • Thursday: Dennis Young caught the largest fish at 6 pounds, 6 ounces.
    • Friday: Mason Chambers took home the award with a 4-pound, 14-ounce bass.

Next Stop: Toyota Series Championship at Wheeler Lake

With the regular season for the Plains Division now complete, attention shifts to the Toyota Series Championship, which will take place at Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, from Nov. 7-9, 2024.

For more information and the complete schedule of upcoming events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series