N.C. Angler Wins Bass League Regional on the Potomac

Andrew George of Poplar Branch, N.C., ran the same deep-grass pattern on the upper Potomac River for three straight days and won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional hosted by Charles County, finishing with 15 bass weighing 47 pounds, 13 ounces.

The three-day Major League Fishing tournament wrapped up Saturday, Oct. 10, out of Marbury. Charles County’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism hosted. George won by nearly 6 pounds and took home a prize package worth $52,500: a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard, valued at $50,000, plus a $2,500 Phoenix MLF bonus.

The event was the regional championship for the BFL’s Buckeye, Michigan, Northeast and Piedmont divisions. The top seven boaters and co-anglers qualified for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American, set for June 5-7 on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Florida.

A local qualifier

Robert Wedding of Welcome finished fourth in the co-angler division with nine bass weighing 19 pounds, 11 ounces. That earned him $1,095 and a spot in the All-American.

Quality over quantity

George said he didn’t get many bites, but he got the right ones. He had five keepers in the boat by 11 a.m. on the first day.

He fished a bladed jig and a swim jig in deep grass for most of his bigger fish and spent part of the last two days punching matted grass with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver on a 1½-ounce weight. The river’s grass had died back recently, he said, and the mats he fished were floating debris that had blown in. He caught eight keepers on Friday and 11 on Saturday.

“I was pretty confident from the beginning that I was on the right quality and in the hunt for the win,” George said. “I’ve always wanted to win a big one like this.”

Top 10 boaters

1. Andrew George, Poplar Branch, N.C., 15 bass, 47-13, $52,500
2. Jamey Way, Washington, N.C., 15 bass, 41-14, $9,320
3. Otis Darnell, Linden, Va., 15 bass, 41-13, $3,320
4. Josh Smith, Liberty, Ind., 15 bass, 40-3, $2,090
5. Jackson Staib, Wilmington, Del., 15 bass, 39-0, $1,330
6. Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., 14 bass, 38-7, $1,190
7. Zack Queeney, Atco, N.J., 14 bass, 37-0, $1,060
8. Matt McCluskey, Ashburn, Va., 15 bass, 36-11, $930
9. Seth Fricke, Oxford, Ohio, 14 bass, 34-12, $790
10. Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., 13 bass, 33-0, $660

Tanner Hampton of Bourbon, Ind., won the Berkley Big Bass boater award and $350 for a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass, the biggest of the tournament.

Co-angler division

Scott Standafer of Milford, Ohio, won the co-angler division with eight bass weighing 23 pounds, 8 ounces, earning a Phoenix 518 Pro with a 115-horsepower outboard worth $33,500. Adam Oxendine of Pembroke, N.C., won the co-angler big bass award and $175 for a 5-pound, 4-ounce fish.

1. Scott Standafer, Milford, Ohio, 8 bass, 23-8, $33,500
2. Eric Nelson, Gainesville, Va., 7 bass, 19-13, $4,660
3. Kyle Richardt, Middleboro, Mass., 8 bass, 19-13, $1,660
4. Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., 9 bass, 19-11, $1,095
5. Adam Oxendine, Pembroke, N.C., 8 bass, 19-8, $840
6. Wesley Bruner, Middletown, Ohio, 9 bass, 19-5, $595
7. Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., 7 bass, 19-5, $530

The Potomac has been in the spotlight among bass anglers this fall. Earlier this month, the Chronicle reported on a state study that found live sonar boosted bass catches elsewhere but not on the Potomac.

Up next

The 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American runs June 5-7 in Kissimmee, Fla. Full results are on MajorLeagueFishing.com.