Numbers The Name Of The Game At Ozarks

MLF Communications Staff

The MLF Bass Pro Tour heads to central Missouri this week for the fourth event of the 2022 regular season at Lake of the Ozarks.

Although Lake of the Ozarks has played host to dozens of MLF (and former FLW) tournaments over the years, this event will mark the first time that the BPT will visit the venue. Competition days are Saturday though Thursday.

“It’s going to be a shallow-water tournament, no doubt,” said Sarcoxie’s Jeremy Lawyer, who has numerous Top-10 finishes – and a 2018 Toyota Series victory – on Lake of the Ozarks. “The most disappointing thing about competing here this time of the year is that there is no home-field advantage. The fish are spread out and the lake is wide open.

“It’s kind of scary because everyone that fishes their strength can do well. KVD throwing a squarebill (crankbait) and burning through water might do just as well as Dudley picking apart areas with a wacky worm. It’s kind of intimidating.”

Lawyer said that the bass are way behind the typical spawn timeframe, and that he expects sight-fishing and targeting boat docks to be popular tactics.

“No doubt, a wacky-rigged Zoom Zlinky is going to play well,” Lawyer said. “I’ll have a Freedom Tackle Structure jig tied on for flipping, and I think topwater baits could be strong as well. Catching numbers is going to be the name of this game, and this lake has got plenty of them in it – a lot of 3- to 5-pounders.

“I think the lake is going to really show out,” Lawyer went on to say. “A low day will be 10 to 12 scorable bass – that won’t be that good. I think somewhere from 16 to 20 keepers a day is very realistic and will have you looking good. If someone gets in the right pocket with a bunch of spawners, 25 to 30 scorables is definitely not out of the question.”

After three events in the 2022 Bass Pro Tour regular season, Alabama pro Jordan Lee leads the Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 226 points. Reigning 2021 AOY Jacob Wheeler is right behind Lee in second place with 224 points, while North Carolina’s Bryan Thrift sits in third with 203. Kevin VanDam currently sits in fourth place with 198, while Randy Howell rounds out the Top 5 with 194.

Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. from the Grand Glaize Marina Recreation Area, located at 711 Public Beach Road in Osage Beach. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the Marina, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW! livestream and ScoreTracker coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The tournament will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday, with the 40 anglers in Group B on the water on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers who finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the Top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. For the final day Championship Round, weights are again zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW! will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Fans are encouraged to come out to Meet The Pros Day on Saturday (April 30) from 4 to 6 p.m. All 80 BPT anglers will be onsite at the Grand Glaize Marina Recreation Area to meet fans, sign autographs, snap selfies, participate in tackle giveaways and talk fishing on Lake of the Ozarks. The first 50 children will receive a free Dora the Explorer rod and reel combo, and free food will be provided for all.

On Thursday (May 5) from 4 to 6 p.m. MLF will host a celebration event for fans of all ages, inviting the to come out and celebrate with BPT anglers as they crown the champion of the tournament. The first 50 middle school or high school anglers will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel combo valued at $100. The final 10 Championship Round anglers will be on hand to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, take selfies and participate in tackle giveaways.

As part of the event, on Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m., the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) will be participating in a clean-up event at the Grand Glaize Recreation Area. Volunteers will walk the trails and shorelines to clean up trash and debris from the shores of Lake of the Ozarks and the walking trails at the State Park. SeaArk Boats will support the effort by providing its revolutionary trash clean-up boat for use on the water during the event.