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Rookie Bryan New captured the Bassmaster Elite Series win Sunday on the St. Johns River. (Photo by Anthony Richards/Palatka Daily News) -
Palatka's Cliff Prince finished seventh. (Bassmaster photo)
Rookie Bryan New posted a weight no other angler could touch with a final day weight of 26 pounds, 4 ounces to win the 2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with a four-day weight of 79 pounds, 7 ounces.
New posted the only total weight of 70 pounds or more and was more than 9 pounds heavier than second-place finisher Greg Hackney’s total of 69 pounds, 14 ounces. New captured the $100,000 prize for the season-opening event in the Bassmaster Elite Series.
The weather conditions had been up and down throughout the tournament, and championship Sunday was no different as rain and winds were moving in around the St. Johns River all day. Putnam County was under a tornado warning just before weigh-in.
Examples of how quickly bass fishing can change included Gary Clouse and Derek Hudnall, who occupied the top two spots in the competition after the first two days only to finish 10th and ninth, respectively, at the end of the event.
Palatka’s Cliff Prince was also in contention all week and came home in seventh place after posting a weight of 12 pounds, 9 ounces on the final day. Prince, who started Sunday in fourth place, thanked the crowd gathered at the Palatka Riverfront for their support when on stage for the final weigh-in.
“I swung for the fence today and I just didn’t get the bites I needed to do what I needed to get done,” Prince said. “I look forward to coming back here and doing this again. One of these days, it’s going to be my turn.”
The rest of the event’s final top five included, in order, Seth Feider, 69-6, Patrick Walters, 68-13, and Mark Menendez, 67-5.
Feider had the second-heaviest bag on the final day at 17 pounds, 3 ounces to help him secure his third place.
Hank Cherry Jr. finished sixth with a total of 66 pounds, 5 ounces and Bryan Schmitt was eighth with 64 pounds, 8 ounces.
Ten pros advanced to Sunday’s final day of competition from a field that started with 99 and was trimmed to 50 for Day 3 Saturday.
The tournament was hosted by the Putnam County Tourist Development Council and the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.
For more tournament coverage, see Tuesday’s edition of the Palatka Daily News.