Story by Ken Duke | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
The first day of Stop #4 of the 2024 National Professional Fishing League season at Saginaw Bay in Michigan is in the books, and the records are already falling.
Missouri’s Brock Bila broke the NPFL record for biggest smallmouth bass ever with a 6-pound, 10-ounce giant that he caught by drop shotting a Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm in deep water. It was not only the biggest brown bass in league history, but also a personal best for one of the most talented young anglers in the sport. But instead of spending years as the NPFL’s best smallmouth, it lasted just minutes.
That’s how long it was before Ohio’s Kevin Martin came to the scales with a smallmouth weighing 6-13. Most anglers will spend a lifetime searching in vain for such a fish. Martin accomplished the feat in competition and stands to earn a hefty check to go along with his record-breaking catch.
And Martin’s mark is not safe. There are a lot of big brown bass in Saginaw Bay, and any angler in the field who hopes to win knows he has to target better than average smallmouths to do it.
One angler who is definitely dialed in on big smallmouths is tournament leader Trent Palmer of Cumming, Georgia. On Day 1, Palmer set the tone with a 5-bass limit weighing 25-4, the largest bag ever weighed in at Saginaw Bay in an NPFL event, breaking his own record from Day 3 of last year when he tallied 22-10. It marked three consecutive competition days on the Bay where Palmer topped the 20 pound mark.
There can be no doubt about who’s the favorite to win this tournament. In 2022 at Saginaw Bay, Palmer finished second behind Gary Adkins, and in 2023 Palmer edged Patrick Walters by just two ounces to win. This contest will not be over until Palmer weighs in on Saturday.
In the AOY race, Kyle Welcher continues his dominating performance. He leads the race coming into Saginaw Bay and is sixth in the tournament after the first day, strengthening his grip on the top spot. Trent Palmer, currently 12th in AOY and leading the tournament is positioned to move up.
Others in the AOY hunt who are having success in Michigan include Drew Cook (2nd in AOY; 10th in the tournament), Isaac Peavyhouse (5th and 15, respectively), and Louis Fernandes (11th and 13th, respectively). If they can maintain their momentum, they should hold onto or improve their AOY positions.
Two anglers who are losing AOY traction fishing here in Michigan are Jason Burroughs (3rd in AOY but 108th in the tournament) and Patrick Walters (7th and 110th), respectively). It will be extremely difficult for them to make up the lost ground at a venue where everyone seems to be catching limits of quality fish.
In all, eight anglers topped 20 pounds on Day 1—twice as many as had reached that mark in a single day in previous Saginaw Bay events. What’s more, upwards of 90% of the field brought a 5-bass limit to the scales.
Wind and weather permitting, catches should be strong again today and Saturday.
