MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. –— In his first three years as a Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series angler, Trey McKinney has come to realize a northern smallmouth bass is smarter than a southern largemouth. On Day 1 of the Yokohama Tire Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair, McKinney found the right cadence to trick five big brown fish into biting.
Illinois pro Trey McKinney has taken the lead on Day 1 of the Yokohama Tire Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair with a total of 24 pounds, 11 ounces. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
The 20-year-old phenom from Carbondale, Ill., leads the 101 Elite Series field with 24 pounds, 11 ounces, anchoring his bag with a 5-10 smallmouth. McKinney’s lead over second-place Matt Robertson is just 11-ounce while Will Davis Jr. trails by 1-8.
“I’ve never been nervous for a tournament, but I was nervous for this one,” McKinney said. “I think the main thing will be staying consistent on finding new areas as the days go on.”
Despite reports of a tougher than usual bite, Lake St. Clair once again proved why it is one of the best smallmouth lakes in the country. Forty-four anglers landed limits of 20 pounds or better on Day 1 and 100 anglers landed a five-bass limit. Two pounds separates the leader from 16th-place Pat Schlapper.
To prepare for this tournament, the 2024 Dakota Lithium Rookie of the Year spent several days on Lake Michigan. While Lake St. Clair and Lake Michigan are vastly different fisheries, McKinney has learned smallmouth have the same tendencies no matter which body of water they are in.
That realization has helped the young angler quickly get a grip on northern fisheries.
“Smallmouth are smallmouth. They have the same instincts,” he explained. “A lot of it is cadence. They are sight feeders. Everyone says largemouth are smarter, but I think smallmouth are smarter. When you present your bait, it has to look so natural for a big one to eat it. How you present the bait to them is the difference between them eating it and bumping it.”
McKinney’s morning started off with a bang, landing a 4-pounder right off the bat and then the 5-10 smallmouth. He followed that with a 4-12 before moving around and filling out his bag by noon. From there, he went to practice, landing several 4-8’s that didn’t help before calling it quits for the day.
“To compete in this tournament, you have to have all smallmouth over 4 pounds,” McKinney remarked.
Outside of his morning area, McKinney stayed on his trolling motor looking for a specific bottom composition. A mix of tall and short grasses, combined with sand, has been the best combination for him so far. Three baits produced his best bites.
“As long as the bottom looks right with the grass and the sand, I’ll keep going,” he said.
While the way he is fishing can be inconsistent, McKinney caught enough fish on Day 1 to feel confident about his chances moving forward. His goal is to catch as many bass over 4 1/2 pounds as he can the next three days.
“If I can catch 22 1/2 pounds from here on out, I still have a shot,” he said.
Robertson, meanwhile, anchored his 24-pound Day 1 limit with a 5-14 smallmouth, the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day. The Kuttawa, Ky., pro opened the morning by landing 17 pounds before moving to an area he felt had better quality bass and making several upgrades using two different baits.
“I took a chance and tried to get two or three big ones the rest of the day,” Robertson said. “It was good enough and I’m going to do it all day tomorrow.”
Two different baits produced his weight, but one bait has been key to getting his bigger bites in his best area.
“It is a day-by-day thing, one area is definitely keyed in on one bait,” he explained. “It is a little different from what most people are fishing. So, I mean, that deal I’ve got it dialed.”
Davis Jr., meanwhile, caught the majority of his 23-3 in an hour flurry around mid-morning. Around 9:30 a.m., he drifted through an area and landed two 4-pounders before boating a 5-8 and a 5-4 on back-to-back casts. He landed one more 4-pounder before the bite died.
“That was it,” he said.
A Big Bite Baits Thresher Worm on a drop shot and a Big Bite Jerk Minnow on a Davis Bait Company jighead were his best producers. Late in the day, the Sylacauga, Ala., native said he found a bait that better quality smallmouth would bite and lost two good ones before coming to weigh-in.
McKinney leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 690 points followed by Canadian pro Chris Johnston with 662 points. Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat is third with 651 points followed by Kyoya Fujita in fourth with 646 points and Davis Jr. in fifth with 646 points. Patrick Walters, Taku Ito, Bill Lowen, Shane LeHew and Paul Marks round out the Top 10.
The full field will launch from Brandenburg Park beginning at 7 a.m. and return for weigh-in at 3:10 p.m. The Top 50 anglers after the Day 2 weigh-in will advance to Semifinal Saturday before the Top 10 anglers compete on Championship Sunday.
Bassmaster LIVE will run from 8 a.m. ET until 3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com. Roku will carry coverage on Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Noon to 3 p.m. Coverage on Saturday and Sunday will be available on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com from Noon to 3 p.m.
The Yokohama Tire Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair is being hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission.
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsors: Progressive, Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Triton Boats, VMC, Yokohama
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Nitro Boats Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 24-11 104
Day 1: 5 24-11
2. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 24-00 103 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-00
3. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 23-03 102
Day 1: 5 23-03
4. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 5 23-01 101
Day 1: 5 23-01
5. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 22-14 100
Day 1: 5 22-14
5. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 22-14 100
Day 1: 5 22-14
7. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 22-13 98
Day 1: 5 22-13
7. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 22-13 98
Day 1: 5 22-13
9. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 22-07 96
Day 1: 5 22-07
10. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 22-06 95
Day 1: 5 22-06
11. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 22-04 94
Day 1: 5 22-04
12. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 5 22-02 93
Day 1: 5 22-02
13. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 5 21-15 92
Day 1: 5 21-15
14. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 21-14 91
Day 1: 5 21-14
15. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 5 21-12 90
Day 1: 5 21-12
16. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 21-11 89
Day 1: 5 21-11
17. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 21-08 88
Day 1: 5 21-08
18. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 5 21-07 87
Day 1: 5 21-07
19. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 21-06 86
Day 1: 5 21-06
19. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 21-06 86
Day 1: 5 21-06
21. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 21-05 84
Day 1: 5 21-05
21. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 21-05 84
Day 1: 5 21-05
23. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 5 21-03 82
Day 1: 5 21-03
23. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 5 21-03 82
Day 1: 5 21-03
25. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 5 21-01 80
Day 1: 5 21-01
25. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 5 21-01 80
Day 1: 5 21-01
27. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 21-01 78
Day 1: 5 21-01
28. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 5 20-15 77
Day 1: 5 20-15
29. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 20-12 76
Day 1: 5 20-12
29. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 20-12 76
Day 1: 5 20-12
31. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 5 20-11 74
Day 1: 5 20-11
31. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 5 20-11 74
Day 1: 5 20-11
33. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 20-10 72
Day 1: 5 20-10
33. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 20-10 72
Day 1: 5 20-10
35. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 20-08 70
Day 1: 5 20-08
36. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 20-07 69
Day 1: 5 20-07
37. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 5 20-06 68
Day 1: 5 20-06
38. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 20-04 67
Day 1: 5 20-04
39. John Cox Debary, FL 5 20-02 66
Day 1: 5 20-02
39. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 20-02 66
Day 1: 5 20-02
39. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 20-02 66
Day 1: 5 20-02
42. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 20-01 63
Day 1: 5 20-01
42. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 20-01 63
Day 1: 5 20-01
44. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 5 20-00 61
Day 1: 5 20-00
45. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 19-15 60
Day 1: 5 19-15
45. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 19-15 60
Day 1: 5 19-15
47. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 19-14 58
Day 1: 5 19-14
48. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 19-13 57
Day 1: 5 19-13
48. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 19-13 57
Day 1: 5 19-13
50. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 19-12 55
Day 1: 5 19-12
51. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 19-10 54
Day 1: 5 19-10
51. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 19-10 54
Day 1: 5 19-10
53. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 19-07 52
Day 1: 5 19-07
53. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 19-07 52
Day 1: 5 19-07
53. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 5 19-07 52
Day 1: 5 19-07
56. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 19-06 49
Day 1: 5 19-06
56. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 19-06 49
Day 1: 5 19-06
58. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 19-05 47
Day 1: 5 19-05
59. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 19-02 46
Day 1: 5 19-02
59. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 19-02 46
Day 1: 5 19-02
61. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 19-01 0
Day 1: 5 19-01
61. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 19-01 44
Day 1: 5 19-01
63. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 18-14 42
Day 1: 5 18-14
63. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 18-14 42
Day 1: 5 18-14
65. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 18-13 40
Day 1: 5 18-13
66. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 18-12 39
Day 1: 5 18-12
67. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 18-09 38
Day 1: 5 18-09
67. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 18-09 38
Day 1: 5 18-09
69. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 18-06 36
Day 1: 5 18-06
69. Bryan New Leesville, SC 5 18-06 36
Day 1: 5 18-06
69. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 18-06 36
Day 1: 5 18-06
72. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 18-05 33
Day 1: 5 18-05
73. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 5 18-04 32
Day 1: 5 18-04
73. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 18-04 32
Day 1: 5 18-04
75. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 18-03 30
Day 1: 5 18-03
75. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 5 18-03 30
Day 1: 5 18-03
75. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 18-03 30
Day 1: 5 18-03
78. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 18-01 27
Day 1: 5 18-01
79. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 17-14 26
Day 1: 5 17-14
79. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 17-14 26
Day 1: 5 17-14
81. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 17-12 24
Day 1: 5 17-12
81. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 17-12 24
Day 1: 5 17-12
83. Ben Milliken Omaha, NE 5 17-10 22
Day 1: 5 17-10
84. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 17-09 21
Day 1: 5 17-09
85. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 5 17-08 20
Day 1: 5 17-08
86. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 17-06 19
Day 1: 5 17-06
87. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 17-05 18
Day 1: 5 17-05
88. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 17-03 17
Day 1: 5 17-03
89. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 16-10 16
Day 1: 5 16-10
90. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 16-07 15
Day 1: 5 16-07
90. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 16-07 15
Day 1: 5 16-07
92. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 16-06 13
Day 1: 5 16-06
93. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 16-00 12
Day 1: 5 16-00
94. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 15-13 11
Day 1: 5 15-13
95. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 15-10 10
Day 1: 5 15-10
96. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 15-08 9
Day 1: 5 15-08
97. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 15-05 8
Day 1: 5 15-05
97. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 15-05 8
Day 1: 5 15-05
99. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 14-15 6
Day 1: 5 14-15
99. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 14-15 6
Day 1: 5 14-15
101. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 4 12-11 4
Day 1: 4 12-11
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 05-14 $1,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 100 504 1967-11
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100 504 1967-11
