4/9/16 – Blake Lesher & Steve Lebsack take home first place and big fish trophies at Banks Lake.

ELECTRIC CITY, WA – Northwest Bass kick started the 2017 tournament season this weekend with the first event held at Banks Lake. There was a great turnout with 69 teams taking to the water as they attempted to get off to a fast start in the 2017 Circuit. After a late thaw this spring, anglers faced weather conditions that were slightly windy and cold. Fishing was tough but the amazing anglers of the Pacific Northwest made the best of it and took home $18,410 in total prize money.

Blake Lesher and Steve Lebsack captured the 1st place trophy at the Banks Lake tournament with a total weight of 17.5 pounds. That performance was a huge improvement off their 2016 appearance which saw them come in at 50th. The pair also captured Big Fish with a 6.08 large mouth. With the win, Lesher and Lebsack find themselves at the top of the Northwest Bass Angler of the Year standings, earning 100 points with the victory.

Justin Cox and Rob Romey found their way onto the podium with 5 bass weighing in at 17.43 pounds. Each angler was awarded 99 points toward the Angler of the Year standings for the 2nd place finish. This puts the pair in an excellent position heading in to the two day event at Potholes Reservoir next month.

Last year’s winners, Dan Jensen and Taylor Smith rounded out the top three, bringing 5 fish to the scales that weighed in at 17.28 pounds.

Next up on the slate is the Potholes Reservoir on May 20 and 21. The tournament will be based out of MarDon resort and with a two day format it is sure to generate some great competition. It will also bring Anglers one step closer to the Northwest Bass Championship in the fall of 2017.

Northwest Bass is the premier tournament circuit in Washington and Oregon with four qualifying tournaments hosted on four different bodies of water and a championship event in 2016. We’d like to thank our many sponsors, anglers, and staff who make this Bass tournament circuit truly great!