ATHENS, Ala. – Greg Harp won the 2025 American Bass Anglers Professional League, Presented by Caymas Boats, Florida Central Division 6 season opener tournament, held January 18TH, 2025 on Lake Toho.
Running out of Kissimmee Lakefront Park in Kissimmee, FL the Vero Beach, FL angler caught five bass weighing 25.88 pounds including a kicker bass that weighed 8.06 pounds. For the Boater Division victory, Harp took home a check for $4200 for his win.
“All my fish came on a Gambler Burner Worm today. Just slow reeling it through the hydrilla. I was on the South end of Lake Toho; it was just one of them days just started catching fish and just couldn’t seem to do anything wrong. I’ve got to give a big shout out to Rob Branagh from Aqua Tech Marine, yeah, he got my boat back up operational for me so I could make this tournament. “Harp said.
Second place for the boaters, Robert Branagh of Malabar, FL landed a 5-bass limit weighing 17.65 pounds. He earned $2300 for the effort.
“I didn’t have anything for Greg today he whipped me today. Actually, after practice I was going to be lucky to catch 5 fish. I pulled in the spot where I got bites yesterday and I had a limit by about 8:00am over by Goblets. I probably weeded through 50 fish literally if not more. I caught my fish on a Bruiser Big Stick black and blue tail. I think the key was weightless and just dead sticking it, if you thought you let it sit long enough let it sit another 5 minutes.” Branagh said.
Shelton Smith of Saint Cloud, FL took the third spot for the boaters. He landed a 5-bass limit going 16.56 pounds. He earned $1650 for his finish.
“I stayed on the North End of Toho and caught them all on the fluke. I probably caught 50 today. I think they were pulling up the spawn and I was just catch him before they went in.” Smith said
The big bass award of the boaters went to Chris McBeath of Bradenton, FL for an 8.65-pound lunker. McBeath earned $610 for that fish.
“I was about 11:00am today I pulled up to North Cove and started throwing a chatterbait and saw her busting the water and as soon as I threw over she ate it. “McBeath said.
Finishing in 13th place, just one spot out of the money, Dave Thomas of Casselberry, FL won a set of three 12.8v 100ah Watt Cycle Lithium batteries.
“Usually, the consolation prize is a bag of rubber worms, this is a lot better than that, but these Watt Cycle lithium batteries will come in really handy for me, absolutely a great prize.” Thomas said.
Finishing fourth, David Kilbury of Clermont, FL landed 5-bass weighing 16.08 pounds. Matt Demott of Boca Raton, FL rounded out the top five boaters landed a 5-bass limit weighing 13.91 pounds.
At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance to the 2025 Ray Scott Championship to be held in April, 2026.
Top 25
For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti, tournament manager, at 256-230-5632 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com
About the American Bass Anglers – American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler while offering an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and all their bass tournament trails visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
In addition, anglers may qualify for bonus money offered by such tournament sponsors as Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, the T-H Marine Atlas Awards program and Power Pole. See each manufacturer’s website for details, rules, and qualifications for more information on their contingency programs.
