By MLF Communications Staff

Jimmy Washam of Covington, Tenn. brought a five-bass limit weighing 17-15 to the stage on Sunday to win $200,000 and the championship belt at the second annual Major League Fishing (MLF) Pro Circuit TITLe Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. With his tournament-best stringer, Washam won by a 1-03 margin over Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., who weighed a limit of 17-15, good for 2nd place and $50,000. Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla. rounded out the Top 3, weighing a five-bass limit of 15-06 and taking home $30,000.

Washam said he began fishing MLF tournaments in the BFLs in 2012 before moving up to the Toyota Series in 2017. He qualified for the Pro Circuit through the Toyota Series Central Division in 2019 and has made TITLE appearances in both ’20 and ’21. When he’s not fishing, Washam is a deputy sheriff sergeant in Tennessee

“All the glory goes to God,” Washam said of the win. “This is so amazing, but it’s His work above, I promise you. Five years ago, I bought my first fiberglass boat and decided I’d fish the [BFLs] as a boater. Now I’m standing here with a TITLE belt on my shoulder.”

Moving up through the ranks hasn’t been easy for Washam, who took a big financial risk in 2020 and again in 2021 to follow his passion.

“I’m 34 years old and I didn’t start as young as I wish I would have, but I had to earn a living and work, so it was a slow progression to step up to this level,” said Washam. “After last year I knew that I could hang, and this year has been an absolutely incredible year. It’s humbling to know the group of anglers I just joined.”

Washam said he was contemplating going back to the Black River on the final day, having found a few places where he could pull up and catch a limit in a few casts, but he decided to make a change.

“I got to thinking, it’s Sunday and there are a lot of guys out fishing,” said Washam. “I’ve got a place that likely has the winning bag on it. Why in the world would I not go there first? Literally, as I pulled up, there was a guy in a jonboat that was slinging a topwater and he was only half a cast away from my fish. I don’t think he knew what was there, but he was really close to finding out.

“He was a total class act,” Washam continued. “I pulled up and said, ‘Good morning.’ Of course, I was going to ask him as politely as I could if he minded giving me a little space for a couple hours, but I didn’t even have to ask. He picked up the trolling motor and left, then came back later as a spectator. Turns out he works at the sheriff’s office in La Crosse.”

He caught some quality fish early on a 15-year-old Heddon One Knocker Spook. After his topwater bite cooled off, he compiled most of his weight with a Neko rig featuring a 6-inch finesse worm (green-pumpkin/red flake).

Nerves didn’t seem to be a factor for Washam going into the Championship Round, even with $200,000 on the line.

“I was confident going into the final day,” said Washam. “Any time you find something like that and you’re able to leave it for Championship Sunday it’s great. But I’ve played this game long enough to know that there are so many variables. When I made the first cast and didn’t get a bite the wheels started turning. Then, when I made the second cast and caught a 3-pounder I was pumped.”

Championship Round

1. Jimmy Washam -- 17-15 (5) -- $205,000

2. Bobby Lane -- 16-12 (5) -- $50,500

3. Zack Birge -- 15-06 (5) -- $30,000

4. Mitch Crane -- 13-05 (5) -- $25,000

5. Skeet Reese -- 13-02 (5) -- $19,000

6. Joshua Weaver -- 13-02 (5) -- $18,000

7. Miles Burghoff -- 12-08 (5) -- $17,200

8. Jimmy Reese -- 11-14 (5) -- $16,000

9. Justin Lucas -- 11-03 (5) -- $15,000

10. Adrian Avena -- 11-01 (5) -- $14,000