La Crosse, WI – In 2011, Ott DeFoe won the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year.
Five years later, and the Tennessee native gets to raise an Elite Series trophy overhead. A rabid field nipped at his heals to take home the final win of the season, but DeFoe was not going to be shaken, and he held onto that number one spot for three days.
After fishing well and locating some nice fish in practice, Ott spent his entire time on the water fishing the same pool.
Pool 8 of the Upper Mississippi River would be the residence for the weekend, and would provide everything he needed. In fact, DeFoe also took home the Big Bass of the tourney on Friday—pulling a 6 pound, 1 ounce chunk.
While the spot remained consistent, the rig and tactics were varied. From creature baits to swimbaits, Ott was ready for whatever changing conditions required.
Angler of the Year
Gerald Swindle maintained his perch atop the Angler of the Year standings by turning in yet another top 12 finish. 43 points behind him sits Keith Combs.