Lake Wales, FL – The 11th Annual Xtreme Bass Series 4-Man Open, benefiting Polk County Toys for Tots, was once again a resounding success, drawing a competitive field of two dozen 4-Man teams (48 boats, 96 anglers) from across Florida. The event took place at Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Lodge, Marina, and RV Resort, located along the beautiful old Florida shores of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Anglers came together not only for some great fishing but also to support a worthy cause.
In this unique tournament format, teams of four compete from two boats and are able to communicate with each other throughout the day to put together the best 5 bass bag per boat to bring to the scales, giving each team a 10 fish limit combined. Each boat is allowed to keep 10 fish in the livewell at any one time. Before coming to weigh-in, teams meet up to cull down to the best 10 fish out of the 20 between the two boats. Once they have decided which fish to keep and which to release, they split the fish so each boat brings 5 fish to the weigh-in. Each bag is weighed separately, with the weights added together to come up with the total team weight.
As part of the event, each angler is also asked to bring a toy valued at $5 to $10 to donate to Toys for Tots, helping to provide gifts for children in need this holiday season. The generosity of the participants and the local community was evident, with significant donations of toys and cash. Angela Davis, coordinator for Polk County Toys for Tots, expressed heartfelt thanks for the contributions, noting that last year the program helped 16,130 children, with numbers expected to grow this year. “Every child deserves a Christmas, and your donations will help make that possible,” said Davis.
The event generated an estimated $8,000 to $10,000 in toys and cash, all of which will go toward brightening the holidays for local children.
Tournament Results
The team of Rodney Hunter, Sheena Hunter, Colby Evans, and Jesse Smith topped the 48 boat field with a collective 38.14 pound, 10 bass limit to take home the $2,400.00 first place prize. Hunter and Hunter weighed a 5 bass limit worth 18.34 pounds. Evans and Smith followed up with a 19.20 pound, 5 bass limit to secure the win. The Bass Assassin lures team also took the top spot in the side pot, taking home an additional $1,400.00 for a grand total of $3,800.00.
Second place went to the team of Garrett Rocamora, Jackson Williams, Shane Gilman, and Ricky Teschendorf, who collectively weighed in 32.96 pounds. Rocamora and Williams brought in 16.77 pounds, while Gilman and Teschendorf added 16.19 pounds. This earned the team a $1,160 payout.
The third-place finish went to Alex Funke, Austin Marvulli, Nate Bloom, and Josh Wolf, who registered a total of 32.35 pounds. Fitzgerald Fishing’s Funke and Marvulli weighed in 13.32 pounds, while Bloom and Wolf contributed 18.43 pounds, earning the team $760.
John Stahl, Scott Stahl, Casey Gonzalez, and Mark Kummelman secured fourth place with a total of 31.28 pounds. The Stahl’s brought the event’s largest 5-bass limit to the scales, weighing 20.33 pounds, while Gonzalez and Kummelman added 10.95 pounds. The team earned $580 for their efforts.
Rounding out the top five were John Myers Jr., Reggie Bush, John Myers III, and Patrick McNabb, with a total weight of 31.00 pounds. Myers, Jr. and Bush weighed in 20.22 pounds, while Myers, III and McNabb added 10.78 pounds. The team took home $380 for their performance.
The team of Terry Mullis, Kim Mullis, Brad Winnings, and Shannon McDaniel took Big Bass honors for the event. The Mullis’s weighed an 8.21-Pound TrophyCatch to earn the team $480.00.
A Successful Event for a Great Cause
The 11th Annual Xtreme Bass Series 4-Man Open was a great success, both on the water and off. The tournament not only provided anglers with a chance to compete but also made a significant impact on the local community through the generous toy donations.
This year, several individuals went above and beyond to support the cause. Kyle Gooding, Rodney Hunter, and Sheena Hunter held a rib cook fundraiser, raising over $2,200 to purchase toys for the event. Their dedication and hard work contributed greatly to the success of the toy drive. Additionally, Gwen Mills-Owen made a remarkable contribution by donating 20 bicycles, one of the highest requested items Polk County Toys for Tots receives, providing children in need with an extra-special gift this holiday season.
With continued support from anglers, community members, and generous individuals like Rodney, Sheena, Kyle, and Gwen, Polk County Toys for Tots will be able to bring joy to many children this Christmas and this annual event will undoubtedly continue to make a meaningful difference for years to come.
Full results from the event can be found here.
About Toys for Tots
The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U. S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. This assistance includes providing day-to-day leadership and oversight of the Program, raising funds to provide toys to supplement the collections of local Toys for Tots Campaigns, to provide promotional and support material and defray the costs of conducting annual Toys for Tots Campaigns. Other Foundation support includes providing administrative, advisory, financial, logistic and promotional support to local Toys for Tots Coordinators; managing funds raised and monies donated based on the use of Toys for Tots name or logo; providing other support the Marine Corps, as a federal agency, cannot provide; and conducting public education and information programs about Toys for Tots that call the general public to action in support of this patriotic community action program. For more information visits www.toysfortots.org.
Event Photo Gallery
