Traveling to Kentucky-Barkley Lakes last Monday, Owensboro native Zach Hedges reeled in a three-bass limit of 13 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event as part of the Bass Fishing League Land Between the Lakes (BFL LBL) Division.
“I am really blessed to win, especially at a young age of 19,” Hedges said. “It is a dream come true. There are people who spend their entire lives fishing these tournaments and never get to win one, and to get to do this at such a young age means a lot.”
Entering the tournament, Hedges expected around 15 pounds to win, and he acknowledged he was on the right type of fish to hit that 15-pound mark. Having practiced on the lake leading up to the tournament, Hedges quickly went to his best school and caught about 12 pounds in the first hour.
“I went to some of my other spots that I thought I could pull up toward 15 pounds, and I went through there,” Hedges said. “I caught fish on the other spots but not the right quality, so I went back to my best pool and just sat there for around 30 minutes. I pulled up 13 pounds, which is what I ended up weighing in.”
Newly graduated from Apollo High School, Hedges has spent the majority of this season competing in the Music City Division in Tennessee, and has his eyes set on qualifying for the Region Tournament in both the MCD and LBL divisions.
Per the Major League Fishing press release, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee.
Having already qualified for the Region Tournament in the LBL division, Hedges will be competing in the Old Hickory Lake Tournament on June 20th in the Music Division, with an eye on vaulting himself back into the top 45.
“It would really mean a lot to qualify in two divisions, because it would give me two chances at qualifying for the All American,” Hedges said. “One of the regionals I really want to qualify for is on Kentucky Lake, which is my home lake. It would really mean a lot to qualify for that one and potentially win it also.”
While he will continue to fish in the MLF moving forward, starting in the fall, Hedges will be taking his talents to North Alabama University.
