PHOTOS BY JODY WHITE openminded . I don ’ t normally fish grass , but I fished Sam Rayburn back in the spring and it kind of clued me in to how to fish it and what to do . I just threw a spinnerbait and a ChatterBait all day long .”
Parsons weighed three fish on the final day of competition , but his kicker was nearly 6 pounds , bringing his total weight to 12-12 on the day . Parsons ended up beating second-place co-angler Daniel Lutz by 1-15 to secure the victory and the brand-new Phoenix boat . While he was still in celebration mode , Parsons took the time to give thanks to his home lake back in northwest Arkansas .
“ Beaver Lake isn ’ t my favorite lake ,” admitted the 36-yearold co-angler . “ But some people say that if you can fish Beaver , you can fish anywhere . That has played in some of my career in learning how to fish a drop-shot , shaky head and a spinnerbait . It ’ s helped me out throughout the years and helped me in this tournament .”
Buswell makes All-American history
It takes plenty of skill and determination to win just one Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American title , so imagine how much hard work goes into winning a second – especially when the angler in question is the first to ever do it from the back of the boat .
Daniel Buswell Jr . added to his trophy case back in June by winning the BFL All-American on Douglas Lake , his second All-American win . Buswell won his first All-American in 2013 at Nickajack Lake while he was also fishing as a Strike King Co-Angler . That ’ s pretty impressive considering he started fishing competitively in 2011 .
Buswell claimed a $ 50,000 check but is waiting to turn fishing into a full-time professional until he can win a boat of his own , though the Georgia native believes that he ’ s learned more than enough during his time as a co-angler to make the full-time jump .
“ I went in and I won it ( in 2013 ), my first full year , but now I realize how hard it is to get here again and to win it again ,” Buswell said . “ This time it means so much more , really . I never fished bass tournaments until 2011 . I came in halfway through the season and then fished in 2012 and came to the All-American and now I just have so much more experience , and I used everything I ’ ve learned to win this one .”
Buswell connected with 34 pounds , 2 ounces in three days , beating Rod Mackinnon III by 2-15 to claim the All- American co-angler title . Buswell was unable to win his new boat in the Toyota Series Championship however , finishing in 26th place . Still , it seems like only a matter of time before we hear Buswell ’ s name being called out with the boaters during the weigh-ins in BFL and Toyota Series events .
2021 Strike King
Co-Angler of the Year Winners
TOYOTA SERIES PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE
Central
Chris Graham
Northern
Sakae Ushio
Plains
Rob Crane
Southern
John Stahl
Arkie
Todd Christen
Bama
Kane Harper
Buckeye
James Ross
Bulldog
Will Thomas
Choo Choo
Jason Henson
Cowboy
Ryker Holmes
Gator
Justin Brown
Great Lakes
Alan Bernicky
Hoosier
Andy Vance
Illini
Ryan Murphy
LBL
John Dunn
Michigan
Kristian Dus
Southwestern
Mike Power
Western
Colby Huntze
Wild Card
Keith Honeycutt
Mississippi
Scott Kirk
Mountain
Travis Lloyd
Music City
Christopher Stites Jr .
North Carolina
Frank White
Northeast
Charles Peart
Okie
Jake Hess
Ozark
Chris Bunk
Piedmont
Dylan Gray
Savannah River
Corey Yaden
Shenandoah
David Williams
South Carolina
Brennan Gunther
Volunteer
Justin Goodman
DECEMBER-JANUARY 2022 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 15