YUMA, Arizona – The BAM Pro Tour makes its debut in Arizona with 28 of the top West Coast anglers competing in wind gusts up to 35 mph at Lake Martinez. From Alameda, Calif., Zack Thompson took the lead on Day One with his best five at 22.24, bolstered by a 6.18 big bass.
Focusing on shallow areas with power fishing techniques in the post-spawn conditions, Thompson’s limit stretched a gap of more than three-pounds over his nearest competitor.
“Lake Martinez sets up for my style,” shared Thompson. “It was a fun day.”
Equipped with Seviin GF Reels spooled with P-Line Tactical Fluorocarbon, Thompson landed 11 scorable bass and a handful of shorts. “I feel I have a good understanding of what the fish are relating to, and I’ll adjust tomorrow as the day goes on,” he added.
Okerman Manages 21 Keepers
Karl Okerman of Blanchard, Idaho, topped the numbers caught standings with 21 boated bass for Day One, securing the 2nd place spot by keeper count. “Desert fishing allows me to fish the same way I do back home, but here the bass are in a stage way ahead of where I live,” explained Blanchard. “Fishing here is more like fishing in July in Idaho.”
No stranger to less than optimum conditions, Blanchard felt at home in the day’s winds. “I’m used to really bad weather,” he said. “I fish in snow, hail, and wind. I’m used to it being really rough. I’m just going fishing.”
Billy Hines from Vacaville, Calif. bagged the Big Fish of Day with his 9.54. The near double-digit pushed Hines into 7th place, making up the bulk of his limit that weight of 18.41.
Join anglers at Lake Martinez for the weigh-in at Fisherman’s Marina at 3:15 pm or watch Day Two weigh in Live
Note: BAM Pro Tour anglers are ranked in the Pro Tour events by both biggest five fish limit and numbers of scorable bass caught.
First place is held by the angler with five biggest bass and second place is the highest keeper count. The standings then continue to alternate by weight/numbers. Anglers ranked by weight are denoted with an asterisk. Field will be cut at end of Day Two.
Top-10 BAM Pro Tour Lake Martinez Day One
Place/Angler/Day 1 Big Bass/ Day 1 Weight
1 Zack Thompson 06.18 11 22.24*
2 Karl Okerman 21* 14.83
3 Cameron Karber 06.58 6 18.61*
4 Greg Gutierrez 05.02 19* 17.51
5 Nicholas Cloutier 11 18.52*
6 Ish Monroe 18* 18.39
7 Billy Hines 09.54 7 18.41*
8 Colby Pearson 15* 18.22
9 Hayden Lee 13 17.73*
10 Conrad Demecs 04.07 14* 14.05
Full Results Available Here
2024 BAM Pro Tour Next Stop
After the debut of the BAM Pro Tour on Lake Martinez, the second stop will take place at Lake Almanor, more info is available here.
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The Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM TT) offers an unparalleled media platform for anglers and sponsors alike combining vast exposure opportunities that celebrate the skills of western bass anglers. The circuit garners extensive coverage across television, print magazines, websites, video, digital magazine, and multiple social media channels.
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The BAM Pro Tour proudly welcomes a diverse array of sponsors including Bass Boat Technologies, Tackle Warehouse, Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Outboards, Garmin, Storquest and our dedicated conservation sponsor, Fisherman’s Warehouse.
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BAM TT is honored to be associated with its title sponsor, Bass Boat Technologies, and presenting sponsor, Tackle Warehouse. The trail is also supported by Storquest, Garmin, Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Outboards, Ford Fairfield, Dish – Accel Marketing, Power Pole, , Bob’s Machine, Wood Bros, Sticky Graphics, Jean Deleonardi Real Estate, Valley Outdoors, Eternal Lithium, Alpha Angler Rods, and Fisherman’s Warehouse.
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The BAM TT is grateful for the support of its tourism sponsors: the City of Oakley, the Lake Almanor Chamber, the Boardman Chamber, and the Feather River Tourism Association.
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