2025 - Roosevelt Lake
BassBites – Roosevelt Lake Tournament Report
Roosevelt Lake delivered on all fronts for the May stop of the Midweek Bass Anglers tournament trail. With warm post-spawn conditions, active shad spawns, and stable water levels, anglers were greeted by a fishery firing on all cylinders. From shallow topwater strikes at first light to deep structure bites later in the day, Roosevelt offered a full range of opportunities for both power and finesse presentations.
The field quickly discovered that while numbers were easy to come by, finding and capitalizing on better-than-average fish was the key to success. Several teams adapted to boat pressure by leaning on backup water, and those who adjusted in real-time were rewarded. Big fish showed up in waves—on crankbaits, spoons, and even slow presentations like the free rig—proving that versatility was the winning formula at this event.
Top Three Finishers
1st Place – Laron Porter & Steve Ferguson – 27.69 lbs
Laron and Steve delivered a strong bag built on power fishing and critical adjustments. After missing their intended starting spot, they caught early fish on a Texas rig and flutter spoon. A late-day switch to a free rig presentation uphill produced the final big bite they needed to secure the win. Their bag included the tournament’s second-biggest bass at 6.77 pounds.
2nd Place – Nick Teschler (Solo) – 25.38 lbs
Fishing alone, Nick leaned on his recent time on the lake and deep knowledge of a few productive areas. After missing out on his primary spot, he shifted to a backup location and quickly reached 16 pounds by dragging a worm and craw. Around midday, he upgraded with a pair of quality fish on a crankbait. His 7.80-pound kicker earned Big Fish honors.
3rd Place – Raymond Bates & Randy Gray – 19.20 lbs
Raymond and Randy employed a two-zone strategy, fishing offshore flats on the Salt end in the morning and then moving to the Tonto side later in the day. There, a crankbait fished around a shad bust yielded a 10.45-pound giant, the largest bass caught for the 5-lb Pot. Early fish came on drop shots, jigs, and a topwater walking bait.
Techniques, Baits & Locations
Target Areas:
Many teams found success on offshore structure near the Salt River arm early in the day. As conditions changed, several top finishers relocated to the Tonto end where they found roaming bass around shallow points and baitfish activity. The river end also produced a few key fish early, particularly around shad spawns along the bank.
Bait & Technique Highlights:
• Topwater Baits like the Rico and Duo Realis Dead Drift 95 were responsible for fast morning limits, especially during active shad spawns.
• Crankbaits played a major role for mid- to late-day upgrades, particularly in 6–12 feet of water. Deep-divers such as the Little John DD were mentioned by multiple teams.
• Flutter Spoons produced big bites off ledges and adjacent points, allowing for quick doubles when fish were schooling.
• Free Rigs and Texas Rigs continued to be staples for working deeper structure with a slower presentation.
• Worms and Craws dragged along the bottom accounted for early weight and consistent keepers.
• Swimbaits were productive when worked deeper, particularly in areas where bass were holding close to the bottom.
• Drop Shots and Jigs rounded out limits on offshore flats in the early morning hours.
• Senko-style baits were effective for tempting shallow cruisers and pressured fish.
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Observations and Key Takeaways
Roosevelt Lake is in excellent condition, offering both quantity and quality opportunities. Anglers reported catching dozens of fish during practice and competition, with many boats well exceeding 50 fish in a day. However, the difference-maker was the ability to convert quality bites and make smart adjustments as boat traffic and conditions shifted.
Adapting to the moment proved critical. Several top competitors were unable to fish their primary areas due to boat draw or pressure but managed to pivot successfully to backup spots. Whether it was moving from shallow flats to offshore ledges or switching from reaction baits to slower finesse techniques, flexibility was key to staying competitive.
The timing of the crankbait bite also stood out. While early topwater action dominated the morning, many of the largest fish—including the 10.45-pounder and multiple 5–7-pound bass—came later in the day on crankbaits. This midday surge of activity rewarded anglers who stuck with their patterns and continued to cover water.
The presence of shad was another major factor. Nearly all successful teams mentioned either a visible shad spawn or bait activity influencing their strategy. Anglers who stayed near the bait were able to trigger aggressive strikes, often with oversized lures or fast-moving presentations.
Looking ahead, Roosevelt’s performance this month confirms that it is one of Arizona’s most dynamic and productive fisheries. For those willing to mix power and finesse, and adjust as needed, it continues to offer some of the best tournament fishing in the state.
Roosevelt Bag Weight Distribution
Next Tournament: Lake Pleasant
We’ll see you next month for another round of competition. Pleasant should offer a different challenge, with finesse tactics likely playing a more prominent role. Good luck and tight lines to all.
Angler Reports
1st Place Laron Porter, Steve Ferguson
27.69 lbs
2nd Big Fish 6.77 lbs
Laron Porter
First, I have to give a huge shout-out to Steve Fergason, or "Fergy!" He treated me like royalty, making sure I had everything I needed—waters, turkey sandwiches, snacks, and more. Thanks, Fergy!
I love fishing, and Roosevelt Lake is thriving right now. I hadn’t been there in a few months, but after hearing great reports and seeing huge catches, I was excited. During practice, we didn’t catch many big fish, but we caught plenty—over 50 on topwater both mornings and afternoons.
On tournament day, I had a starting spot in mind, but being boat 11, I didn’t get it. We made a quick adjustment, heading to a point where I tried big reaction baits without success. I switched to a Texas-rigged worm and caught one just under 5 pounds. Steve did the same shortly after. We stayed on that point for a bit but didn’t get more bites.
I moved to a ledge near the point, using a flutter spoon. After a few casts, I missed two bites before finally hooking a fish over 5 pounds. A quick follow-up cast landed another 5-pounder. Unfortunately, the school moved before I could get my spoon back in.
With four solid fish, we needed one more big one. Returning to my original spot, we tried multiple baits and approaches. Just when I was about to give up, I switched to a slow, uphill presentation with a free rig—and landed a 6+ pounder. What a fun day!
Although the fishing was amazing, the best part of the day was welcoming my new grandson that night. No fish can top becoming a grandpa!
Steve Ferguson
No Report
2nd Place Nick Teschler Solo
25.38 lbs
1st Big Fish 7.80 lbs
Nick Teschler
I’ve been fishing Roosevelt a lot lately and knew conditions were great. While you can catch 2–2.5-pounders all day along the banks, I had one spot producing big fish consistently. Being boat 15, I didn’t get to it—plenty of boats were already there. Luckily, I had another spot from practice that held quality fish.
By 7:30 AM, I had 16 pounds, dragging a worm and craw. I lost three giants, two easily over 7 pounds. I explored other spots, but my key location was taken. Shallow water produced nothing helpful. I returned to my reliable spot but couldn’t trigger more bites.
Around noon, I hit another spot and immediately caught my two biggest fish on a crankbait. I added a few more on a worm, though they didn’t improve my bag. Despite missing out on a 30+ pound bag due to lost fish, I placed second with 25 pounds. It stung, but I’m proud of that solo effort. Congrats to Laron—he’s one of the best on Roosevelt!
3rd Place Raymond Bates, Randy Gray
19.20 lbs,
5lber Pot 10.45 lbs
Raymond Bates
I was supposed to fish solo, but Randy Gray joined me for practice and the tournament. His 40 years of experience on Roosevelt was invaluable. Randy had great ideas based on historical lake conditions, and I learned a lot peppering him with questions.
On tournament day, we fished an offshore flat on the Salt end. Randy caught our first three keepers with a drop shot and jig. I added two more on a walking bait. Around 10 AM, we moved to the Tonto end, targeting shad busts we’d seen in practice. On a small point, we caught a 10.4-pound largemouth with a crankbait in 6 feet of water.
We returned to the Salt end to cull a few ounces with various lures. At weigh-in, dropping that 10.45-pounder into the tub was a thrill. We totaled 19.65 pounds, trailing only Laron/Steve and Nick. Congrats to them on their impressive 20+ pound bags. Thanks, Midweek Bass Club, for an outstanding event with great camaraderie and competition.
Randy Gray
Thanks to Gary Martlage for doing a great job as tournament director. Fishing with Raymond Bates was a blast. Our plan didn’t find big fish during practice, but it gave us a starting point.
Things were average until around 10 AM when Raymond took us to "the juice." Two casts later, he landed a 10-pounder with a deep-diving crankbait. We thought we had it in the bag if we could replace a couple of small fish—but we were wrong. Still, congrats to Laron and Nick for their outstanding performance.
4th Place Jeff Mason, Jeremy Griffiths
16.73 lbs
Jeff Mason
Congrats to Laron and Steve, Nick, and Raymond/Randy on their big bags! Jeremy and I had a decent day with 16.73 pounds, though not close to the top three.
Our starting spot on the Salt end gave us a quick limit of 12–13 pounds on topwater and a crankbait. My first two casts with a Little John DD produced four fish—that’s a first for me! We had three solid 3-pounders, then spent the day hunting a big one.
At 12:30, Jeremy caught a 5.35-pounder on a swimbait, boosting our bag. I added a 2.40-pounder late to cull a smaller fish. Thanks, MWB, for another great tournament. Fishing with Jeremy was awesome—he’s got skills!
Jeremy Griffiths
First, I want to express my gratitude to the guys at Midweek for organizing the tournament, as well as Jeff Mason for hosting me for the day. Our day began as an ordinary one as we arrived at our first spot. I started with a deep crank and caught a 6-inch fish on my first cast. Then, I heard from the front of the boat, “The first one to catch a 3-pounder gets a dollar.” I grabbed a Duo Realis Dead Drift 95 and, on my next cast, managed to catch that 3-pounder.
The morning bite was all about the top water for me, with the dead drift buzzing around the shallows. After about an hour, we had reached our limit and needed to cull out a few small fish. We fished back and forth over a 50-yard stretch, catching and culling until it finally ended.
Feeling a bit peckish, we decided to venture deeper into the water and try a bigger swimbait. After about an hour, I made a long cast in approximately 35 feet of water and caught a 6-inch Citizen. As the bait touched the bottom, I noticed my line starting to pull out towards the middle of the channel. I quickly set the hook and instantly knew it was a good one. I landed a 5-pounder that culled out a 1-pounder, so I was feeling quite pleased.
We managed to cull out our last 1-pounder, and with just a few minutes left, we had our final weight.
5th Place John Hilland, Mike Adamson
16.40 lbs
John Hilland
Congrats to Laron, Steve, and Nick on securing those impressive limits! Mike Adamson and I embarked on a fishing trip on Tuesday, aiming to put together a solid catch for Wednesday. We stumbled upon a small shad spawn near the river end of the lake, where a group of small fish were frantically feeding right on the bank. As the sun rose, we ventured deeper into the lake and continued our fishing efforts throughout the day.
On Wednesday morning, we promptly arrived at the shad spawn and Mike managed to reel in two fish simultaneously using the same Rico rod, kickstarting our catch. I was fishing a small white swim jig when Mike caught a fish, which turned out to be our best of the day—a massive 6.02-pounder!
However, the fishing slowed down, and we decided to search for other fish to fill out our limits and try to find a few more impressive catches. We diligently culled through the day, making occasional finds. Around noon, we spotted a few larger smallmouth trout roaming on the bank. After throwing our fishing box at them, we managed to snag a good one on a Senko, securing our final bag.
We thoroughly enjoyed the tournament with the crew, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at Pleasant next time.
Mike Adamson
Congrats to Laron, Steve, and Nick on huge limits. Mike and I practiced Tuesday, finding a small shad spawn at daybreak in the river end. On tournament day, we hit it early. Mike caught two fish on the same Rico to start our bag. I added a small fish with a swim jig, and Mike followed with our best fish—a 6.02-pounder.
The bite slowed, and we searched for upgrades. Around noon, we found larger smallmouth roaming a bank. After trying multiple lures, I landed a good one on a Senko, finalizing our bag. Thanks to the crew for another great tournament. Looking forward to the next one at Pleasant!
6the Place Kirk Krogman, Bill Pfeifer 15.42 lbs
7th Place Edward Mason, Nathan Fearno 15.40 lbs
8th Place Robin Jackson, Angelo Messina 13.8 lbs
9th Zac Ownes, Solo 13.25 lbs