Story by Ken Duke | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
The Chompers/National Professional Fishing League Stop #5 at Lake of the Ozarks presented by Bait-Wrx has worked all kinds of mayhem and magic on the Progressive Angler of the Year standings and the NPFL record books … and today’s weigh-in has yet to leave its mark.
The first shakeup worth pointing out is in the AOY race. Drew Cook used a strong Day 1 to pass Kyle Welcher and grab a 14-point lead. That’s mostly gone after Day 2 despite the fact that Welcher did not limit yesterday. Going into today’s final round, Cook’s lead is just two points — 1211 to 1209.
Here are the unofficial top 10 headed into the final day of the tournament:
# Angler Points
1. Drew Cook 1211
2. Kyle Welcher 1209
3. Isaac Peavyhouse 1175
4. Joseph Webster 1170
5. Brock Bila 1154
6. Louis Fernandes 1142
7. Jesse Millsaps 1139
8. John Cox 1132
9. Trent Palmer 1130
10. Joey Bloom 1122
And now there are just two!
Coming into Lake of the Ozarks, there were 10 anglers who had limited every day of the 2024 season. Barron Adams, Brock Bila, Louis Fernandes, Wes Logan, and Hunter Sales all fell on Day 1.
Yesterday Jason Meninger, Jesse Millsaps, and Kyle Welcher all came up short of five keepers.
That leaves just Isaac Peavyhouse and Joseph Webster with a chance to do what has never been done in the NPFL — catch a limit every day of an entire season. If they can do it today, it likely will be easier in December on Lake Murray … but, of course, there are no guarantees. Bringing five bass to the scales each day is a serious challenge.
The Championship cut line
You’ve now seen the top of the AOY leaderboard, led by Drew Cook and Kyle Welcher. What about the other area of interest — the grouping around 40th place, the cutoff for qualifying for the 2025 NPFL Championship on Lake Hartwell? Who’s looking good and who’s in trouble?
First of all, you have to like the chances of the top 20 anglers in the AOY race to make next year’s championship. They’d really have to struggle — or even miss — the season finale on Lake Murray not to qualify. But there are plenty of big names and big reputations who still have work left to do if they’re going to fish the Championship.
Right now, 1,026 points puts an angler in 40th place. That’s an average of a 46th place finish. If that ratio continues to play out, it’ll take about 1,231 points — or a win in the finale — to qualify. It means that anyone currently in the top 50 or so has a fighting chance.
The battle for a top 40 berth will mostly take place between 30th and 50th in the AOY standings after Lake of the Ozarks. That group likely will contain such league standouts as Patrick Walters, Buddy Gross, Timmy Reams, and Matt Massey. I’d give you a more full list, but it’s very unofficial. Take a look after the LOZ event is in the books.
We’ll know a lot more then!
