Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
There is one more day for the 2025 NPFL Championship, and it’s a showdown of shallow versus deep—what pattern will prevail? Hosted by Visit Anderson the Championship on the famed Lake Hartwell marks the NPFL’s third visit to the lake in Anderson County, with takeoffs and weigh-ins at the scenic Green Pond Landing.
Two days are complete, and one remains, with Luke Dunkin and Fat Cat guiding fans through the action on NPFL Live Coverage, streaming today from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM EST, leading up to Sunday’s crowning moment. Fans can also attend the live weigh-in at 3:30 PM EST.
So far, Burroughs’ shallow pattern has dominated the leaderboard, carrying a 1‑4 lead over offshore angler Michael Stout. On their heels, several FFS-savvy anglers are poised to make things interesting on the final day. Will Harkins, Scott Hamrick, and Trent Palmer round out the top five, mostly fishing offshore while some are mixing in some shallow-water tactics.
A Changing Hartwell
Hartwell is shifting, and it’s affecting both bites. Leader Jason Burroughs caught a day-one leading 17‑12 in the afternoon on Friday, and it took a full-day commitment on day two to catch 14‑8. With more pressure and sunny skies, the bite got tougher.
In second place, Michael Stout started with 14‑8 and added the biggest bag of the event on day two, 16‑12. At noon on Saturday, he had just a small 8-pound limit—but a decision to run the same areas from the morning quickly paid off, allowing him to cull up and move into second place.
So, who will pull ahead when the scales close? We’ll find out—but with Sunday’s Championship weather bringing morning clouds and afternoon rain, we can be certain Hartwell will throw another curveball.
Weather Watch
Championship Sunday will start cloudy, with showers expected in the afternoon. Highs will reach around 77°F, with ENE winds at 10–15 MPH and a 40% chance of rain.
How to Watch
Tune in daily to watch the action from Lake Hartwell and beautiful Anderson, South Carolina. Catch the daily LIVE Leaderboard, LIVE Blog, and on-the-water photo galleries and blogs of the anglers for the NPFL Championship.
Catch the LIVE Coverage with Luke Dunkin and FatCat at TNPFL.com will run all three days, Friday to Sunday.
Under the Go Live Tab, choose LIVE Broadcast or check out the real-time leaderboard on the Fishing Chaos Catch Track with estimated weights entered by the anglers on the water and join us for the LIVE Weigh-ins.
And be sure to follow the NPFL on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, & X.
